Lakeline Animal Care

Elite '08

580

102

Colby B.

New York, NY

So I boarded Radley a couple weeks ago when I was out of town. He's been coming here as long as I've had him.

So I go to check out, and I remember he needs heartworm medicine. "I need some heartworm medicine," I tell them, which seems like the appropriate thing to say in such a situation.

"Is it for Radley?" they ask.

"Yeah. Just how many other dogs are on my account?"

"Well, there's Dottie, Sam and Betty and Chewy."

Wow. Went to the vet and got a crash course in my dating history. It's tantamount to going to the barber and having him remind you of all the stupid haircuts women have talked you into.

"Since I no longer talk to any of their mothers, I think it's probably safe for you to take them off my account."

The vet tech starts mashing some keys. Looks up and says, "Sam is dead."

I was gripped by sadness. My jaw dropped. A tear paused before rolling down my cheek. It was like that commercial.

I thought about Sam. That cute little rambunctious dachsund mix. I remembered him chasing both my Dalmatian and the ex' pit mix around with ferocious ferocity. They outweighed him by scientific notation. But it really is all about the size of the dog in the fight.

I thought about half my gym shorts that still don't fit right because he ate the drawstrings out of them like they were candy. I thought about how he used to burrow into you if you were laying on the couch. I thought about how he spent the whole winter in front of the space heater. Shivering. I thought about how he used to talk my dog into misbehaving. I thought about how he apparently used to get under the ex' roommate's bed and crap. And no one noticed for months.

And months.

I hadn't seen him in a long time, but I missed Sam. He had personality. He had spunk. I said a little prayer for him. And his sister and mom.

"Wait," I said, barely holding back that tear. "How do you know Sam is dead?"

"Oh. I mean I took him off your account."

(Seriously, though. They're great vets and a great kennel.)

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