by unknown
Many years ago, I had a beautiful dog named Baby. She was small and black with the biggest brown eyes you'd ever seen. I've never known a smarter animal before,or since. Whenever I heard "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler, I'd always sing it to Baby, because of her beautiful 'bright eyes'. As she grew older, she began having medical problems. The family had decided that she should be put to sleep. She was suffering. To keep her alive would only be selfish on our part. So, while I was in school, mom took Baby to the vet and came home alone. I was dreading coming home. How could I walk through the front door knowing that Baby wouldn't be there to jump on me and say hello? Well, I did...and she wasn't. I screamed and cried and ran up to my room. After awhile, I came down and announced that I was going to the vet to say goodbye. Mom did NOT think that it was a good idea, but she knew she couldn't stop me. She drove. I walked into the vet's office with the reddest face and the most bloodshot eyes that you have ever seen and asked to see my dog. The vet put me in a room by myself. In a few minutes he came in and told me to go in another room. In that other room lay Baby. Cold and stiff on a sterile metal table. Again I screamed and cried. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't that.I picked her up. She was cold and heavy. I sat on a chair with her in my lap and sobbed.I stroked her and hugged her and kissed her and talked and talked to her. Finally, my mom knocked at the door and said we should go. I couldn't just lay her back on the table, so I asked for the vet and handed her to him.That was 15 years ago. I am happily married with a beautiful family. I have a husband and children that I love very much. I have a dog, cat, bird and fish. But I never forgot her. I cry as I type this. My eyes swell with tears whenever I hear Baby's song."...turn around bright eyes, turn around... nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heart."