OUR AKITA, WORF - RIP

by ELMUS BILLINGSLEY JR
(ESCONDIDO, CA)

THE GREATEST DOG WE EVER HAD IS NOW AT RAINBOW BRIDGE. BUT BEFORE HE LEFT US HE LEFT US WITH MANY FOND MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.

HIS SISTER KIRA TAUGHT HIM ABOUT BEING LOYAL AND PROTECTIVE AND LEARY OF STRANGERS. SHE TAUGHT HIM THAT OUR HOME IS FILLED WITH LOVE, CARE AND HAPPINESS AND PLENTY OF BBQ. WORF LOVED IT WHEN IT CAME TIME TO GRILL, HE WOULD SIT OR LAY OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE GRILL TO MAKE SURE THAT I DIDN'T DROP ANY FOOD OF COURSE IF I DID HE'D BE RIGHT THERE TO GRAB IT.

ONE OF HIS FAVORITE THINGS TO DO WAS TO LAY DOWN AT THE GARAGE DOOR WITH HIS YELLOW STAR SQUEAKY,ON SOME DAYS WHEN THE WEATHER WAS WARM HE'D LAY THERE WAITING FOR MY WIFE TO CAME HOME OR ME. HE'D WATCH THE CARS GO BY AND EVERY NOW AND THEN HE WOULD SPOT A CAT OR SOMEONE WALKING THEIR DOG AND HE WOULD BARK LIKE CRAZY THEN GET UP AND RUN TO THE FRONT DOOR TO SEE AND I WOULD GET UP TO SEE WHAT HE IS BARKING AT.

WHEN WE WOULD COME HOME THE FIRST THING HE WOULD GRAB WAS HIS YELLOW SQUEAKY AND GREET US WITH A LOUD SNORT LIKE A BULL. HE DIDN'T LIKE GIVING KISSES THAT MUCH ONLY TO MY GRAND-DAUGHTER MAKAYLA WHOM HE JUST LOVE. WHEN SHE COME OUT TO VISIT HE WOULD FOLLOW HER EVERYWHERE SHE WENT AND AT NIGHT HE WOULD LAY OUTSIDE HER ROOM TO MAKE SURE SHE IS OKAY THEN HE WOULD COME TO OUR ROOM TO SLEEP.

WORFY, THAT'S WHAT WE CALLED HIM LOVED BEING IN THE BACK YARD, LOTS OF DAYS HE WOULD GO OUTSIDE, SMELL THE AIR, LOOK AROUND THEM PATROL THE ENTIRE YARD THEN GO OVER BY THE PALM TREE AND STRETCH OUT AND JUST LISTEN AND WATCH AND SLEEP.

HE KNEW OUR SCENT BECAUSE ON HOLLOWEEN I PUT ON A FULL COSTUME AND CREPT TO THE GATE, HE SAW ME AND GAVE ME ONE OF THOSE "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU CAN'T FOOL ME" TYPE OF BARKS.

HE TRULY ENJOYED PLAYING TAKE-AWAY WITH ME THAT GAME WAS SO MUCH FUN THAT MY WIFE WOULD COME OUTSIDE TO WATCH US PLAY, THAT WAS A BLAST!

SADLY HE LEFT US TOO SOON. IN HIS FINAL HOURS HE WAS NOT AFRAID BUT SHOWED COURAGE BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WAS TIME TO GO. HE KNEW WE LOVED HIM SO MUCH AND LOOKED AT US BOTH AS IF TO SAY "I'M GOING TO BE ALRIGHT NOW, I LOVE YOU BOTH AND THANK YOU FOR SHOWING AND GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO LOVE YOU BACK THE BEST WAY I CAN, MY LIFE GOES ON TO THE NEXT PHASE AND SOMEDAY WE WILL ALL BE TOGETHER AGAIN, ITS ALRIGHT TO CRY CAUSE I KNOW THEY ARE TEARS OF JOY WITH NO REGRETS...BE GOOD."...

AND AS I SAT ON THE FLOOR NEXT TO HIM STROKED HIS THICK COAT ON HIS HEAD AND NECK AND TOOK ONE LAST LOOK INTO HIS EYES I KNEW HE SAW MY EYES AND SAID ...SEE YOU LATER!