Max 03/02/09

So some of you know, we lost Max today. He passed away during the night and we buried him today. Thank you all for the prayers, phone calls, emails, texts, words of encouragement and just the “letting us know you’re there”. It’s important. Do it every time you know someone who loses someone, even if it’s ‘just a pet’, even if they act like they don’t want it. It’s important. Our friends have lifted us up today. Our family has been there. It sucks to lose a pet. It just does. Before you confuse me with the “I raised my monkey like a child” people, I know the difference. I’ve lost people. It hurts your soul. Pets are like kids in that they require your care. They can’t make it without it. My dog would look you in the eye, which if you know anything about dogs, you know that’s unusual. It wasn’t a dominance thing, it was a communication thing. A trust thing. He wanted to understand me and for me to understand him. When he wanted water or to go outside, he’d put his head in my lap and just look at me. Max was a house dog. I let him out the day he got hit. I’ll never forgive myself for being the one that didn’t go out with him and watch him. I could have prevented this. Our cat is an old man. We’ve had him for 20 years. He hated Max from day one. He hated Jake before him. He’s acted weird all day. He’s one of those people that only feels comfortable showing you nothing but loathing but inside he’s missing Max like the rest of us. That’s not a “monkey like a child” philosophy and if you think it is FU. My wife thinks I cuss too much, but I digress. The thing is, my dog deserved better than to die in a hit and run. He deserved better because he was better. The most supreme compliment I can pay him is that he was a GOOD DOG. He was hard headed like a muthaf***er, but he was a good dog. My daughter would ride him like a horse and he wouldn’t complain. She would put hats on him and he’d accept it. She used him as a pillow and he loved her for it. He never relaxed in the house until he could account for all of us. He would lay in a room between all of us if we were in separate rooms so he could be near us all. His last full day on earth was spent playing in the snow until he was exhausted. When we finally brought him inside to rest, he howled to be out with the kids. That’s the picture on my MySpace and my blog, a dog having a ball. Living life in the right now. I’ve lost plenty of loved ones, my dad, all my grandparents, 2 of my best friends, the list is unfortunately endless. I haven’t cried for Max today because I’m the daddy and the husband. My job is to be the strong one and get my family through this. I’ll cry tonight and I wish Max was here asleep by the couch, farting, because that’s what he did. That dog was the gassiest dog I’ve ever known! I love you Max and I’m sorry I let you down.