Bubba’s Birthday

Odd Bits

Archie Mountain
Never again will I have any doubts, express or implied, about how animals can actually become part of a family, much more than just a pet hanging around the house.

I had always questioned, in my own mind, how people could become so attached to an animal. I even convinced myself it would never happen to me.

But sometimes things happen that cause us to change. All of a sudden it’s a whole new ballgame.

Let me recap.

Many years ago, son Paul came home with a surprise. He had purchased (for $600 on the easy payment plan) a Sharpei puppy for the Mountain household.

The Mrs. had always said there would be no way we would have a dog in our house but when she eyeballed this little bundle of wrinkles, she succumbed.

One day early on, I suggested we call him Bubba, only because he looked like a Bubba. It stuck.

Bubba was a great dog. Of course we did our part to spoil him with such things as birthday parties, complete with invitations in the mail.

On his first birthday, the invitation was in the form of a dog bone with the message BYOB, Bring Your Own Bone. Naturally, none of the invited guests actually brought a bone.

Over the years Bubba brought a tremendous amount of pleasure to our household. Yes, he was one of the family. As he grew order and slowed down, I knew the day would come when he wouldn’t be around, but I never anticipated the ending the way it would happen.

At the time, our North Carolina sons, Paul and Rollie, agreed Bubba would have more fun living out his final years in a warmer Southern climate, so Bubba headed off to Raleigh the day after Thanksgiving.

For two or three months prior to his departure, I reminded Bubba every day he would soon be retiring and heading south for the winter. And I didn’t feel stupid, not at all, talking to a dog like this. That’s how Bubba grew on me over the years.

At one point there was some doubt if Bubba would even make his trip south.

About six weeks before his departure, he slipped out of his chain and went for a walk at night out on the busy Guild Road in Newport. He wandered into the Sturm, Ruger lot and the guards on duty tried to catch him but he walked back out onto the highway and bounced off the tire of a passing van. He survived that test, although he was a bit lame for a couple of days.

During a Christmas week trip to Raleigh, we saw Bubba again. It was obvious had lost weight. He wasn’t eating much. We thought he might have been grieving the loss of his new friend, a boxer dog who was run over by a truck and killed.

We said our goodbyes to Bubba and returned home, not giving it a lot more thought until a week later a call from Raleigh informed us Bubba was dying of cancer.

That’s when it struck me. Then I realized how attached I had actually become to Bubba during the previous 10 years. I fully understood how adults could come to love an animal just as a child does.

The day Bubba was put sleep I fought to hold back the tears.

Looking back, I think I would felt a lot better if I had just gone off in a corner by myself and let the tears flow, like a child.

Losing Bubba as difficult but I also realized he was suffering and it was the only thing to do.

What really bothered me down deep was that my wish for Bubba to have a couple of enjoyable retirement years in a warm climate wouldn’t happen. It was like he was cheated out of the last couple yeas of his life.

I do realize Bubba was just a dog. But he was a great dog, worth crying over at the end. The fond memories of all the funny things he did will always be there.

So will Bubba II.

He’s the reason this story has a happy ending.

Down in Raleigh, where Paul and Rollie build custom kitchen cabinets, one of their customers realized how sad they were with the unexpected loss of Bubba.

Within a week they came to the cabinet shop with a puppy decorated with a red bow.

It was a pure black, registered Sharpei, just looking for a good home. It was a gift for Paul and Rollie from two North Carolina friends who shared in their loss.

Now I’ve got a new friend to meet, Bubba II. I can’t wait.

I’m sure if he were still around, the original Bubba would give his blessing to this upcoming relationship with Bubba II.