Today our friend, Tuggle passed away while under anesthesia during
exploratory surgery.  He had tumors on his liver.  One of the lobes of his
liver was 3 times its normal size.  The doctor said that we would have had
to put him down in a week or two anyway.
 
Tuggle was one of the dearest souls it has ever been my pleasure to know.
For one thing, he was smarter than me.  Once, I was transporting him in a
soft-sided pet carrier and he figured out how to unzip it from inside.  His
beautiful little head kept popping out of the carrier (with every intention
of having the body follow).  I finally grew tired of the situation, and
jerry-rigged a paper clip to "lock" the hole of the zipper to a ring on the
side of the carrier.  I said, "O.K., Buster, let's see you get out now."
Tuggle just fixed me with his usual steady gaze, and waited for me to
become preoccupied elsewhere.  Then he systematically removed the zipper
itself, stitch-by-stitch, from inside the bag.  Then he gave me a look that
said, "You didn't really believe that you could outsmart me, did you?" I
never ever tried to outfox him again.
 
Tuggle was named for the great Atlanta Falcons middle line-backer Jessie
Tuggle.  He would have been 4 years old in January.  I am sure that he is
now happily frolicking at the Bridge with his old buddy, Dole, whom he has
missed terribly since June 6.  Dole died from lymphosarcoma.  Look out,
Skeeter, those 2 boys know how to raise Cain!!  (and how to leave big old
empty spots in our hearts).  They were our bad boys but we loved them and
feel blessed to have been permitted to share their lives, even though it
would have been even more wonderful to have had them around much longer.
 
Diane
[Posted in FML issue 2860]