Goodbye Pork Chop

14^th February 2014

Dear Cassi,

      

Today I came home to find one of my dogs had expired. This was Pork Chop the elderly Labrador. He had been more lethargic than usual and crawled himself into a corner last night where he sat taking in what was left of the world. I could tell that he was dying and I knew that he would be dead when I came home, but it was no less painful to see him crumpled on the floor, his sad eyes looking out at the world sightlessly.

       

I knew I had to get him out of the house before Pickle came home and so I called the vet and asked about disposal of the body. It was expensive, but I didn’t feel like shopping around.

       

Porky being so large a dog, and his death leaving his back end open, I wrapped him in an old frayed table cloth and dragged is hundred and ten pound mass to the front yard where I place him in a concrete mixing troth and then in my car.

       

Even having been dead only a few hours the body smelled, and so I drove down to the vet with the windows open. A train had stopped on the tracks across Sunset Avenue, and so I had to take a detour.

       

It took some time to get things settled at the vet, and I was asked what had happened. I talked and I cried, I cried as I told the story of the old dog and his death. I cried as I drove home.

       

What does one do on the day his dog dies? Did I do the right thing? I found old Porky following a neighbor home and I took him in and looked after him. I gave him the best life I could for the short time I had him.

Remember the good moments, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal

Operations

The battered old Pork Chop
 sits in the sun.

This is another letter concerning my dearly departed pet Pork Chop who was first found wandering down my street.

Getting these things posted is my form of grieving I guess. I only had the old boy for seven or eight months I think, but I connected with him. We had both suffered so much.

9^th November 2013

Dear Cassi,

       

I took Pork Chop back to the vet today just like they told me to and it was a dreaded expense. I arrived early and so walked the old dog in the parking lot until they open. I bled the wound on his face and got blood on my hands but this was little compared to what was to come.

       

They told me his weight was because of a thyroid condition and that he had some issues with his liver that need to be watched. That was all and well but they had to take him for the day to perform the operation. I just hope that when this is over he’ll be a happy dog once again.

       

I came back to the vet at around four thirty and it took them some time to collect my dog. This was all right as I spend my time talking up the receptionist who took something of an interest in me. I should have asked her out, but the daunting cost of vet bills made me think of other things. 

As I waited three young folks came in wanting to see the body of a pet that had passed and was ready for cremation. It was a man and two women that I took to be highs schoolers. The two young women ood and awed over my wounded dog but he did scare them deeply when he shook his head and sprayed blood all over the floor. The two girls gave Pork Chop a few pats and wished him well.

                                          

He did this again when he came home leaving something of a mess.  This rather bothered Pickle who recoiled at the sight of blood, but I’ve seen enough blood in my life so that it never bothers me. After all the old dog has suffered I wish he could have a comfortable life but as we both know it is never so simple.

Greet the challenges as they come, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal

A closeup of the dog's face

Wound

The animal I talk about in this letter is long dead but he died in his sleep. It was

a peaceful death for a much loved animal and I do miss him so.

8th November 2013

Dear Cassi,

I went to the vet today because Pork Chop had a wound on the side of his face. I found it a few days ago as a lump down near his chin and when I put pressure on it the thing burst covering my hand with blood. He’s had bleeding wounds before so I thought very little of this but last night I noted a smell coming from the area.

My first thought was to wash the wound but that did almost nothing. The smell was gone for a few hours but came back before I left for work that night. So this morning when I came home I loaded the dog into the car and was there as the vet opened.

They told me that he had ulcerated tumors around where the pit-bull had mulled him and they had to be removed. This would run me more than a thousand dollars but Pork Chop needed it.

They took a blood sample and told me to come back the next day. That alone ran me two hundred dollars. I have to admit then I wasn’t expecting this but at least I know the poor dog will get what he needs. Ken told me he wouldn’t live this long but well he defied the odds I guess.

It comes to me that people are always telling me my pets are going to die. What’s up with that? Why is everyone so dismal?

Take it as it comes, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal