03 June 2009

"Hunky"
Fond A Hunk
17 July 1996 - 29 May 2009


He was supposed to be with me forever. The idea of life without him there, smiling, rooing, ears madly unfurled...it was just not possible. And now here I am. He's gone. Who am I now?

"The puppy was born on a farm in Florida." That is the first sentence in his book, the book that let me share him with the whole world. That book let people know my simple, special, old soul as though he was sleeping on their sofa or nudging their hands for another scratch or ear rub. Even though every message of condolence breaks my heart, it simultaneously amazes me at the impact that one dog had on so many.

I hadn't wanted a big dog when Hunky came into my life. I was afraid of big dogs, to be quite honest. But the day that I met him and looked into those brown eyes I knew he was coming home with me. I have Hunky to thank for so much in my life. Without him, I wouldn't have so many of my friends that are fellow greyhound people. I wouldn't have been able to perform with the Carolina and Georgia Renaissance Festivals. I wouldn't have published books. Most importantly, if I hadn't had Hunky in my life, I wouldn't have had Henry, Jeany, Profile, Bo, Lizzard, or any of my foster dogs. Without Hunky, I also wouldn't have had my psycho precious puppy girl Daisy.

He was my heart dog, but I came in second place in his heart. Hunky fell hard for Jeany from the very first day she came to live with us, and he never looked back. I think that his soul died the day she did, and as soon as he had a chance to go be with her he took it. I just consider myself the luckiest person on the earth that I got to be the one that took care of him, loved him, and lived with him for the nine short years we were all together.

Go find your girl, Bubby. I will put my heart back together, and look for your stars dancing together in the night sky.

4 comments:

Kalyne said...

My Hunky. I miss him already. I miss cuddling with him and listening to him roo. And his ears. I loved his ears.

If you need me, don't hesitate.

I love you.

Nancy E. Dunne said...

Love you too, K. And you know, even though he wasn't as demonstrative as Prof, Hunky loved you very much. I'll never forget him watching you walk by our tent like "here she comes, here she comes...hey...wait...there she goes," then sighing.

Amanda said...

Oh my god I have tears in my eyes after reading your post but I hope you don't when you read this because as a 'dog person' I know it will probably take you back to the worst moment of saying goodbye. I love dogs and I can't wait to have one of my own as all the Westies I've had have been my parents in that they're 'the boss' haha. Weird to say but to a dog person it's so true - dogs are different towards different people and I am so looking forward to a day when I have a dog to call my own!
3 years ago my mum and I went to the vet to put down 12yr old Serene cos her cancer had come back (after having it taken out 2 years previous they said she had about another 2 years which was pretty much spot on). I was devastated but I'll never forget the moment. I love the happiness dogs bring to our lives and I just love "He was my heart dog" xx

Nancy E. Dunne said...

Hunky's death was peaceful, but the moments leading up to it were not, and THAT is what I can't seem to get past. The other night I had to get up and go watch TV because when I closed my eyes all I could hear over and over was the vet saying, "I'm so sorry, he's just died." Poor vet wasn't ready for an hysterical American, that was for sure...

It DOES help though to know that folks get it, and understand it. Thanks so much.

xx

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