Today was probably one of the worst days of my life thus far. I, as well as the rest of my family, lost a trusted member of our family. My dog of 12 years, Cimino, had to be put down today. He has lost all function in his back legs due to arthritis and hip dysplasia. As of this morning he was completely paralyzed from the waist down. He was on steroids and a glucosamine chondroitin, and the meds quit working. He would have to drag himself through the yard, but it just got to be too much for him. My parents sat with him in the yard today for 3.5 hours before it was time to take him to the vet. He was my pal, my first dog and I will never forget him. When I first brought him home I recall being afraid. My parents weren't interested in having a dog, at. all. My dad definitely didn't want a dog and my mom was pretty skepical. When we (an ex of mine who gave Cimino to me as a gift) brought him home we called my mom out to the drive way and I immediately put him in her arms. I wanted her to come out first because I knew she would be a sucker for a puppy and wouldn't yell at me as much. She fell in love. She then proceeded to take him in the house and handed him to my dad as he was sitting in his chair. I recall the conversation going as follows:
My dad: What's this?
Me: It's a dog
My dad: Who's is it?
Me: (very hesitantly) Mmmine.
My dad: Huh. Where's he gonna stay?
Me: Well, I thought here.
And for the next 2-3 years my dad denied he ever felt anything for that dog. He would protest and claim Cimino was a pain in his butt. Famous last words, and also the words of someone in love with a a dog. He never used to admit it, but he loved that dog.
Two years after getting Cimino, I went off to college and he ultimately became the family pet. I wished I could have taken him with me to live in the dorm. But I didn't think my cousin, and dorm mate, would like that very much.
When he was a puppy I recall a friend of mine, Kody Sok for those who know her, came over one night after one of our softball games and let him gnaw on her ponytail as she played with him in the yard. (Kody, if you read this, I've seriously been trying to get in touch with you. Miss you my friend!)
We used to have weedeater string roping off certain areas in our yard, blocking off the places Cimmy wasn't allowed to go. He was smart too, because he never crossed that line, unless he saw a really tempting squirrel or tumble weed. I was mowing the lawn one day and had to take the string down. As I was about to put it back up, Cim somehow got a hold of it depleting it of any slack. That damn dog clotheslined me on the back of the calves and swept both my legs out from under me. I went flying to the ground and had the worst lash mark I've ever seen.
There was one year where we had a mouse problem in our basement and our shed. We lived up against an alfalfa field and they seemed to come from that. My dad noticed in the shed a nice little nest composed of hay, which we used to blanket Cimino's dog house, and dog food. Cimino's kennel was up against the shed. A few days later my dad went to retrieve his leaf blower from the shed. As he turned it on, four mice shot out and scared the bejesus out of him. My dad is deathly afraid of mice. Sorry dad. ;) That story is hardly related to Cimino, I just like to tell it. :)
He loved the snow. In the house my parents lived in at the time, when it would snow hardcore it would create a massive snow bank. One day I donned my dad's coverall's so I could go scoop out his dog kennel since the snow would drift about 6 foot and block his door. After I got done digging it out I stayed out and played in the snow with him. Some where there are pictures documenting this. I loved it.
Some people may wonder where in the world I got the name "Cimino". Well, in high school every Friday and Saturday night I would frequent a little coffee shop in downtown Grand Island where my b.f. from a one Jacie Schreiner, now Bockstadter worked. The people who owned the place also happened to know my parents, and from going there so often I began to know them too. Their last name, was Cimino. The name of the coffee shop, Cimino's. They were the nicest people in the world and I loved hanging out and chatting with them. It's a shame that Cimino's is no longer a great place to go for a nice mocha, but Cimino lived long after the shop closed. He lived a happy, fullfilled life. I will never forget him, so in a toast with my glass of wine I lift up my glass in his memory. I love you Cimmy. I will be thinking of you everyday and smile up at you as you run around, pain free, in doggie heaven.
