I NEEDED A PIECE OF FLUFF TO SHARE MY LIFE, MY SADNESS, AND MY JOY WITH. THIS LITTLE BLACK POMERANIAN FIT THE BILL AND I FED HIM, LOVED HIM AND WATCHED HIM GROW. HE WEIGHED ONLY 9 1/2 LBS, YET HE THOUGHT HE WAS "TEN FEET TALL AND BULLETPROOF". HE SHARED MY BED, MY LAUGHTER, TEARS AND JOY. HE CHASED EVERY DUCK INTO THE POND AT LEAST 10-15 TIMES A DAY. HE CHASED EVERY CAT BACK OUT OF THE HOUSE, JUST IN PLAY, AND OFTEN TUMBLED WITH THEM IN THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR. HE FEARED NOTHING, NOT EVEN LIGHTNING AND THUNDER. HE RAN OUTSIDE IN A STORM TO BARK AT THE LIGHTNING. MAGNUM HAD A STYLE OF HIS OWN AND WHEN SCOLDED, WOULD TILT HIS HEAD, LOOK AT YOU, WITH A GRIN AND ACT SILLY, TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT, OF COURSE. HE PLAYED 24-7 WITH MY YOUNG RED DOBERMAN, ROXIE, WHO PICKED HIM UP BY HIS TAIL AND CARRIED HIM AROUND. OH HOW HE LOVED IT !! THOSE TWO COULDN'T BE SEPARATED. MAGNUM WAS NOT A SNUGGLER BUT HE HAD HIS MOMENTS. HE LOVED TO BE MASSAGED AND KISSED IN THE MORNINGS AS WE AWOKE. AFTER THAT, HE WAS WIDE OPEN AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME! I WILL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE, BUT AS HE TORE AROUND THE CORNER OF THE FENCE THAT LATE AFTERNOON ON JUNE 18, HE DROPPED IN HIS TRACKS, WITHOUT A WORD OR CRY. I BREATHED FOR HIM FOR 30-45 MINUTES BUT LOST THE BATTLE. I BURIED HIM NEXT TO LITTLE JOE AND VIOLET, AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE, WITH HOT TEARS BURNING MY FACE AS I HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO MY LITTLE "PIT-POM". THE DUCKS STILL FRANTICALLY RUN FOR THE LAKE EACH TIME I OPEN THE FRONT DOOR, AND I STILL SEE HIS IMAGE AS HE PUTS THEM IN THEIR PLACE, THE LAKE! I MISS HIS SOFT, SHINY BLACK COAT ON THE BACK OF THE SOFA AS I SIT AT MY DESK AND HIS LITTLE TAGS JINGLING AS HE FOLLOWED MY EVERY STEP. THERE IS NO ONE TO LET THE OTHERS KNOW, "MOM'S HOME" AND IT IS SO QUIET AND STILL IN THIS HOUSE. HE BROUGHT ME JOY AND LAUGHTER AT A TIME WHEN I NEEDED IT THE MOST, STAYED A WHILE AND THEN LEFT WITHOUT A WORD, LEAVING ONLY HIS TINY FOOTPRINTS IN THE CORNERS OF MY HEART. MY LITTLE MAGNUM, (AKA SHORT AND TO THE POINT), 7-27-97 ----6-18-99, I MISS YOU SO! ROXIE SAT ON THE HILL FOR DAYS, SNAPPING AT ATTENTION WHEN SHE HEARD A TWIG SNAP. SHE MISSES YOU SO AND NOW LAYS IN THE GRASS GAZING INTO NOTHING, HOPING YOU WILL RETURN AND RESUME YOUR PLAY WITH HER. YOU WERE HER EVERYTHING, JUST AS YOU WERE MINE. WE BOTH LOOK ACROSS THE LAKE, WAITING TO SEE YOU COME RUNNING TO OUR ARMS, BUT ACCEPT YOUR ABSENCE WITH EMPTY HEARTS. NOT REALLY EMPTY, BUT STORED WITH WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF YOUR ANTICS AND ZEST FOR LIFE. MAYBE ONE OF THESES DAYS I WILL BE ABLE TO SMILE WHEN I REMEMBER MY LITTLE MAGNUM, BUT THE PAIN CUTS TOO DEEP RIGHT NOW. OH HOW WE ALL MISS YOU! PS--I SURE HOPE GOD PUT PLENTY OF DUCKS AND GEESE IN HEAVEN FOR YOU TO "PUT IN THEIR PLACE". LOVE, MOM.