It's been awhile... Sad Day

You know, I didn't post anything for a couple weeks because... well... because I didn't have anything to say really. All the crazy shit going on down south really had me at a loss for words. I mean, who cares about Randy Moss and Terrell Owens and stupid decisions made by state officials when we have an entire city flooded and destroyed. Not too much seemed important. And, really, in the grand scheme of things, this Sad Day is the same. It doesn't much matter compared to all the other things going on. But, I'm sad. I'm upset. And even though there is crappy shit happening all over the U.S., I feel sorry for myself.

My dog died today. Lattimer was is his name. He was the biggest damn Rottweiler I'd ever seen. 165 lbs of dog. I'm 6'2 and when he was younger and trim and fit, he could stand on his back legs and put his front paws on my shoulders. Big friggin dog. But SOOOO loveable. Just the nicest brute you'd ever see. Not the brightest dog in the world.

He did this thing... One night, my dad was sitting out on the back patio, listening to a baseball game. Lattimer was out there with him, just laying around, being his typical good self. The light was shining from the kitchen through the window out to the patio. My dad had one foot up on his knee (kinda the man's version of crossing your legs) and was just moving his foot around a little. Lattimer happened to glance up and see the shadow of my Dad's foot dancing around on the ground. A dark spot moving around in a ray of light. Lattimer, all 150 lbs of him, jumped up and barked. My dad of course was startled. When you have a huge dog like that bark right in your ear for no reason, it's makes you jump a little. Then Lattimer POUNCED on the shadow. You know how cats will creep real slowly behind a string and then suddenly leap and pounce to get it? Imagine a 150 lb dog doing exactly that. Like an overgrown cat. Pounce. Bark. Pounce. Bark. Slobber... slobber everywhere. It drove him crazy. He HAD to get that shadow! He'd scratch at the concrete, nose right up to the ground, scratch some more, bark, chase the shadow. My dad thought it was hilarious. Of course, he showed me the "trick". And boy did I run with it. I even taught him the word "shadow". If you said that word out loud... Lattimer was looking all over the ground for a moving shadow. He wanted to get it. I'd take a broom on a sunny day and hold it up and make a shadow on the ground. Lattimer would see it and chase that shadow everywhere. I'd move it around, hide it, he'd get confused, i'd bring it back, he'd chase it some more... and of course slobber everywhere. So funny to see an enormous dog like that so crazy about chasing a little shadow.

But, even though he wasn't the smartest dog, he was something. About a year after I got him as a puppy of 6 weeks, he was pretty much full grown. I used to live in a college town and I'd take him to the bar I frequented. I'd take him on the slowest night... Sunday night. I'd walk in, the few people in there would love it. The bartender, Tom was his name, would always get a bowl of water for him. Lattimer would just sit with me at the bar or with a couple friends, always right by my side. Every once in awhile, I'd ask him if he was thirsty and get up and lead him to the water. He'd take a few drinks and then just look at me... as if to say, "we stayin or goin boss?"

One night, I brought him into the bar. Let me give you the layout of this place... it was tiny. Walk in the front door and 5 feet in front of you is the short side of the bar. Turn to the left and there was a walk way with some chairs. Go about 15 feet to the left and you'd hit the wall. Turn to the right and you'd have another 30 feet in front of you to the back wall. The bar was shaped mostly like an "L" with the front door at the bottom of the L. So, I walk in with Lattimer in tow. A couple people I knew were in there and they all said hi from their seats and a couple people got up and petted Lattimer. He nuzzled their hands and loved the attention. A guy and girl I'd never met were sitting at the bar on the long side. Lattimer hadn't seen them yet. The guy gets up and comes over and asks about the dog and asks if he can pet him. I say sure, he won't bite... and the guy bends down and holds out his hand. Lattimer sniffs him a sec, then nudges his hand... "yeah, you're ok... now pet me." So the girl gets up and starts to walk over. Lattimer lifts his head up and takes a step back. He looks at me, looks back at the girl still walking towards us. He turns and comes and stands right next to me, almost in front of me. Leaning on my legs. The girl comes around the corner of the bar and he rumbles. I don't know if you've ever heard a 165 lb dog growl... but it's not just a growl... it's a rumble. It's deep. The girl stopped in her tracks. I put my hand on his head, petted him and told him it was ok. She was ok. He just rumbled again. She started to put out her hand, he rumbled deeper, louder, a little flash of teeth. I was shocked. He didn't have an issue with any other women/girls he'd been around. He didn't have an issue with the GUY this particular girl was with. He just didn't like HER. I told her I was sorry, I don't know what's wrong with him. She kinda looks at him, he rumbles again, and she turns and goes back to her seat at the bar. Now, on all other times we'd been in this bar, he'd wander around, say hi to a few people, but mostly just sit near me. This time, he stood at the corner of that bar, and looked down the bar at that girl. If she got up for any reason, he'd rumble at her. If she looked at him... he'd rumble. Finally, more because I knew the girl was getting scared than because I was ready or wanted to go, I left. I told Lattimer it was time to go and he took one last look at the girl... wuffed... not a full on bark... just a wwwwuuuuffffff... and turned and walked out with me. I'd never seen him react that way to ANYONE before or since. No idea what it was about her... I never will know. But Lattimer didn't like her. I guess that was my que to stay away from her.

Lattimer used to sleep in my bed with me. Luckily, I had a decent size bed because I'm a fairly big guy and he's a friggin big dog. He was such a bed hog too! I swear, I'd wake up some nights and he would be all sprawled out on the bed, me sleeping on just the edge. I'd push him over, call him a bed hog and he'd just grunt at me... "Oh shut up and leave me a long... I'm sleepin". But when he was ready to get up... boy did I find out about it. He'd do the potty dance for just a few seconds. You know how dogs do it. Then he'd jump on the bed and stand over me. If I didn't get up then... he'd lay on my head. Yup. That damn dog would just plop right down on my head. He wouldn't move either. I'd be pushing him, telling him to get up... if he didn't think I was going to get up, he'd stay right there. And when I got out from under his 160 poundness, he'd have that cheezy dog grin going... you know the one. He KNEW what he was doing, the shit. He knew and he thought it was funny.

He'd been living with my mom and dad for several years. About 3 years after I got him, I went into the Air Force (long story, didn't last, was back home in two months). When I went, my Mom agreed to keep him for me. When I got back, I immediately found a job travelling all over the country. She agreed to keep on keeping him. Finally, after another 2 years and that job was over and I was at a job that kept me home, I was able to get a place that I could have him back. Basically, the answer my mom gave me when I went to get him back was, "Go to hell, he stays with me." Now, my mom is the sweetest woman in the world and she didn't actually say that to me, but she let it be known that Lattimer was staying with her and that was the end of the discussion. So, he was still my dog... but living with my Mom and Dad. He'd still look for me though. My old bedroom that I had, even after I was gone and not living there, he'd scratch at the door, just too look in and see if I was there. He missed me. But, honestly, I knew he'd be much happier out in the country with them. So, he'd been there for years. Slowly growing older... and fatter. He got so big at one point, the vet ORDERED my mom to put him on a diet. He slimmed down some, but was still a hefty dog. His back legs were starting to give out. He had aches and pains... especially after my kids were out there playing with him. He'd sleep most of the next day to recupperate from when the kids were there.

So... Lattimer died today. My Mom and Dad had him put to sleep. His stomach turned over on him and he was in alot of pain. I'm really sad that I didn't get to pet him one last time. Say goodbye to my dog. My big oaf. He loved it when I came to see "him". He'd be so happy and wag his butt (no tail, was snipped... but boy would his butt wag!). I wish I could have seen him do that one last time. At least if I could have given him a big bear hug (he loved those) and said, "goodbye Lat... I love you". Maybe he can still hear me. Well, he'll just have to wait for a few minutes because now I've made myself cry.

RIP Lattimer. I Love You.