'I was alright, for a while'
...some people might recall that about this time last year, one of our dogs who had been differently abled all her life, named Jackie, died. She was nine.
Well, just ten minutes ago, I found out from my brother via Facebook that our other dog, Allie, who is currently 14 as of this year, and who has been present in my life since I was five, has been having breathing difficulties and can barely walk. She's going to be put down, but I don't yet know when. I go home on Friday, but if it's going to hurt her too much to wait, then I don't want my family to wait for me to be able to say goodbye.
Now, Allie's never been the nicest of dogs. She's not fond of strangers, especially male ones, and she has a habit of barking at anybody who so much dares as look in the direction of our front gate. Several of my friends are somewhat afraid of her, despite the fact that she's never bitten anybody in her entire life (except for when she was a puppy, but that didn't last long). But she's always been 'my dog', where Jackie was my brother's dog. She isn't the first dog we've ever had - that honour went to Sally, who we rescued from the pound, because her previous owner had been abusing her. Sally lived with us for a year and a half before getting very sick and needing to be put down. In the last six months of her life, we got Allie, and we've had her ever since.
Of all our animals, she's been with us the longest, always waiting at the gate for her afternoon pat, just coming up to sit at our feet and give us that look that dogs are so good at. She's not a pretty dog, or even a remarkably intelligent one, but she's my dog, and she's nearly as old as my brother or I am. And in probably less than a week, she'll be gone.
I love you, Allie. Goodbye.
I still have to complete an assignment by tomorrow. Not sure how well that's going to work, because I'm pretty sure I'm going to cry myself to sleep tonight.
EDIT: Got a phone call from my father tonight. Turns out she got put down this afternoon, probably about four or so. Rest in peace, Allie. You always were the smarter one. Love you, old dog.