MY PRECIOUS DUSTY by RONI FREELS

MY PRECIOUS DUSTY

by RONI FREELS

I MET DUSTY IN A SEARS PET SHOP IN KNOXVILLE,TN,IN 1990. HE WAS A LITTLE FUR BALL AT 6 WEEKS. HE HAD BEEN FREED FROM THE CAGE TO VISIT IN THE PET STORE, AND CAME TO MY FEET AND WANTED ME TO PICK HIM UP.AT FIRST I SAID 'NO'. I DID NOT NEED ANOTHER DOG. BUT THIS LITTLE GUY WAS INSISTANT.WHEN I PICKED HIM UP HE GAVE ME LOTS OF KISSES.NEEDLESS TO SAY, I TOOK HIM HOME.FROM THAT DAY FORWARD HE BECAME MY BOY. I GAVE HIM THE NAME DUSTY MOPP BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL LONG HAIR. HE JUST RESEMBLED A MOP. DUSTY AND I HAD SOME HARD TIMES TOGETHER. WHEN I WOULD BREAKDOWN AND CRY, HE WOULD LICK MY TEARS AWAY AND ALWAYS STAYED CLOSE BY ME. I WAS A LONG HAUL TRUCK DRIVER, AND MY FRIEND DUSTY AND I SAW EVERY STATE TOGETHER, PLAYED IN MANY AREAS OF THE COUNTRY AND ENJOYED BEING TOGETHER AS A TEAM. I WOULD DRESS HIM IN HIS LITTLE HARLEY OUTFIT AND MY HOW HE WOULD STRUT. HE WOULD SIT PRETTY AND PATTY CAKE FOR A COOKIE. AFTER 12 YEARS ON THE ROAD WITH ME I HAD TO RETIRE HIM. DUSTY CAME TO LIVE WITH MY MOTHER. HE WENT BLIND,LOST HIS HEARING AND FINALLY GOT DOWN IN HIS BACK. HE COULD NO LONGER ENJOY LIFE AS HE HAD. PATTY CAKES, FUN AND GAMES, PLAYING WITH HIS STUFFED ANIMALS WERE ALL THINGS OF THE PAST. SO,MY MOTHER BECAME VERY ILL,AND I THOUGHT I WOULD LOOSE BOTH SHE AND DUSTY AT THE SAME TIME. MY HEART WAS BREAKING. ON OCTOBER 23,2004, I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION FOR MY BELOVED DUSTY TO CROSS THE BRIDGE. I KISSED HIM ON THE NOSE. HE RAISED HIS FEEBLE HEAD,AND KISSED ME BACK. WITH TEARS IN MY EYES, AS WELL AS MY HEART,I TOLD DUSTY,'CROSS THE RAINBOW BRIDGE WITH DIGNITY,I LOVE YOU AND SOON I TOO WILL CROSS THE SAME BRIDGE TO FIND YOU.

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