Issac Loki Barnes, at least that is my name for him. We never could decide if he was Issac Asimov, Issac Newton, or Issac Hayes. I called him Loki because that is the Norse god of mischief, Issac was good at mischief.
Well, another late night, two in a row kinda wear on ya. I stayed up late playing some silly game, trying to help out one child’s character get to the next level. I crashed about 11:30 on the couch. I had just painted the master bathroom and the fumes were keeping Kristin awake, so she took a walk at about 1:30 – 2:00 this morning. Coming back from the walk she happens to glance in the ditch next to our driveway and sees Issac, he’s not moving. Best I can figure is that he was hit by a car and had some internal bleeding, made it back to the house as best he could, and passed away sometime around midnight.
It was his own dunder-headed fault, he was too smart for his own good. He was able to figure a way out of every pen we put him in and he would just run around the neighborhood. He even taught Sadie how to get out of the pens (I think Griffin would too but he’s too barrel chested). He was always there for us and loved to sit on our feet while we used the toilet, like a big cat. He had so much hair on his back that it looked like he had a faux-hawk, after we had him shaved he looked like a skinny lab except for the beard. When he ran he looked like a goofy bunny, kind of hopping and bounding around, always had his tongue lolling to one side or the other and his ears flying back. He didn’t care though, he was running and free. He loved the children, would take turns sleeping on their beds if one of the other dogs weren’t already there. Always wanted to lick faces and hug bodies, annoying children because he didn’t know how to handle his big paws and claws. Even though he was the newest addition to our family he had already fought for his place and knew where it was. Sadie (the doggie matriarch) was the most upset at his arrival because she felt like she had to rule and he was a threat to her dominance. After about a week of snarling they were best of friends romping and playing in the yard.
While I was trying to figure out what to do Sadie was there sniffing around, looking curiously at where Issac lay. I had the bright idea that I would bury him behind the house, but at 3am I quickly figured out that it was more of a chore then working in a tilled garden or pushing mulch around. To keep wild animals from the body I move him to the fenced area that is away from the house, this way the children won’t wake up and see him either. When the Vet’s office opened at 7:30 we call and find out about cremation. As I go out to move him to the car I see both dogs (now out of the fence) sniffing around where Issac was laying when Kristin found him, almost as if they are saying goodbye as well. The Vet’s office was very understanding and helped as much as they could, offering as many condolences as possible.
When I get back from the Vet’s we wake the children and let them know whats going on. Kristin tells Nathan alone and, with his understanding of mortality, gets a little upset and hugs mommy a little harder then usual. I tell Emma by herself, slowly explaining, and she comprehends and hugs me for a little bit. Nathan tells Kate, but we still explain what everything means, she comprehends what is going on. Kate actually asked if she could help bury him. We had to explain to all the children that we were not going to bury, we were going to cremate him. Then we had to explain what cremation is.
It’s been a long, busy couple of days.
Tags: dog
