Blu...

I feel like I haven't written a story for my animal category in a while. This is a post about a dog before Rusty. Enjoy!

My nana and grandad had a husky, wolf mix named Blu. He was gray, with a giant fluffy tail, and a personality all his own. (As they so often do.) He could be quite aloof at times, he didn't growl, whine, or bark, except on the odd occasion, and he sparingly gave out his kisses. Until I came along. (Also, my dad didn't like dog kisses, Blu knew this, and did something about it ;))

So, when my pregnant mother first met Blu, he gave her a bunch of kisses. This shocked my grandparents because he didn't do that. He was protective of her as well. My mom and my nana would tell about their experience at a Sonic. My nana was in the driver's seat, my mom in the passenger, and Blu was sitting in the backseat. (He always enjoyed his hamburger at Sonic!) My mom, still pregnant, had her window down, when a man came up to give her compliments. Blu, feeling how uncomfortable she was, promptly stood up, leaned forward, and placed his paw on my mother's belly. The strange man asked, "Does he bite?" My nana told him, "Yes." The man thankfully took the hint, and left.

Once I had been born, Blu protected me like one of his own. Case in point, a meter reader came to (you guessed it), read our meter. My family, myself (in a pack and play), and Blu were on the back porch while the man did his job. Our meter was on the complete opposite side of the gate entrance. With this, he had to pass me in my pack in play. Blu had been laying down but when the man started toward the meter, which was close to the edge of the porch, Blu stood up, didn't take his eyes off the man, and began to follow him all the way around my pack in play. He made the man uneasy enough for him to ask if he bites as well. My grandad, "He won't as long as you don't go near her."

My third story takes place when I was a toddler. My grandparents had bought Blu a massive, plush dog bed. The bed was light tan with little, black dog bones all over it. (Funny the things you remember.) They had a brick fireplace in their living room, that they laid the bed in front of. Blu wanted nothing to do with it. One day, I decided it was for me, so I took a nap on it. Next thing you know, Blu came over, snuggled in and laid his paw atop me.

A funny short story, came from my dad. As I said earlier, he was not the biggest fan of doggy kisses. Alright, picture this, my father had fallen asleep on the living room floor. Blu caught this, and made sure he was fast asleep. Once he was certain, he made his move. He walked right up to my dad's face and gave him the biggest, juiciest kiss he could muster and then stalked away. After a while, my dad woke and asked, "Did that dog just lick me?" Trying to hide chuckles, my family shook their heads yes.

Blu was a special boy. Of course, my family was devasted when he passed. I was about 6 years old when he did. No one could say his name for years after without my nana bursting into tears. Animals truly do become part of your family. And as with all losses, once gone, that piece will always be missing but life makes amends by helping you remember the good things over time. I hope to read some of your stories about the animals that are in or were in your life. Rest in peace Blu. Until next time. Bye!

Lesson Learned: The ones we lose, the pain doesn't fade, you just learn to live with the broken pieces.