Flashback Friday - A Dog Named George

A Dog Named George first appeared February 26, 2004.

He never wanted another dog in the family. After Muffett died and Muffett II was stolen he felt enough was enough. He never counted on George wondering into their backyard and never leaving.

George was a mutt. The vet only shook his head unable to determine what breeds had contributed to his creation. What little hair he had was short, stiff and brown. He was not a large dog, weighing about 25 pounds soaking wet. He would have never won a beauty contest or best of show but he was a warm and loving friend.

He wanted to find a home for George but the children would not have it and their mother agreed. So against his better judgment George became a permanent member of the family. No one ever saw him pet the dog, or call the dog, or even acknowledge the dog's existence. Though to his credit he never chased George away.

The two youngest children were especially fond of George. They wrestled with him, chased him and his nights were spent at the foot of one of their beds. It was as if he felt on obligation to protect them from things that go bump in the night.

As the children grew George followed them everywhere. It was as if he sensed that someday the children would leave and he had vowed not to miss a single moment.

One summer’s night the children were jogging with George by their side. As siblings often do they had an argument and were finishing their run on opposite sides of the street. George was not one to take sides so he ran back and forth between the kids. Until George made the mistake of running left instead of right and a car hit him.

George was rushed to the vet who in his professional opinion felt there was little hope. He advised the family that putting George to sleep was probably the best choice. The children would have none of that and their mother agreed. So finally, against his better judgment he told the vet to do his best. Several operations later George was allowed to come home.

For the first month George hardly and rarely moved about the house. The children tried everything but George seemed to have lost the will to live.

He never really asked about George and seemed to be indifferent to his condition. However, one night he returned late from work and believed himself to be the only one awake. Silently, he opened a doggy bag and removed a large piece of prime rib. He methodically sliced the meat into small dog-sized pieces. He got down on the floor and began to hand feed the meat to George one bite at a time.

Following, that evening George began to improve. Before long he was out and about catching up on the latest happenings in the neighborhood. He was never as spry as his younger self still though he lived life to the fullest.

I never mentioned to my step dad that I had seen him feeding George. What I had witnessed though changed our relationship in a subtle way. I had always thought of my step dad as being cold and distant, someone without emotions. Following that night I realized that he had a warm and loving heart, he was just not comfortable sharing that heart with the rest of the world.