My dog Kublai was a Valentines gift from my wife. She left early one morning, and when she returned she put the little fur ball in the bed with me. He was a Chow-Lad mix, and he was my best friend for almost 15 years. For all those years through thick and thin he was my loyal friend. A couple months ago, he started getting weak. It happened very suddenly. About 4 days passed and he couldn’t walk. When I took him to the vet , he tried to hop in the backseat and wagged his tail.

When he was young he didn’t like the car. If I’d known he enjoyed it ,I would have took him for rides more often. In retrospect, there’s lots of things I wish I had done lots of things for him. I could tell by the vets reaction during the examination that my buddy was very ill. his kidneys had stopped working and his organs were shutting down. I made a promise that I would be a true friend to him and would not prolong his suffering for my own selfishness. Now, as i stood numd in the bright exam room, that time had come. i could’nt imagine my life without his warm (and slightly smelly) fur to pet. His adoring big brown eyes greeting me when I awake. See his wildly wagging tail and expressive face waiting for me when I come home from work. For 15 years this wonderful dog reminded me that there was innocence and goodness in the world. My wife brought me a cheeseburger. I feed it to him as he lay on the shiny steel table. I told him what a good friend he was, I massaged his back while he dug into his cheeseburger and told him how much I loved him. He enjoyed his burger very much and I enjoyed watching him relish a forbidden treat. I held his wooly head and looked into his eyes as the vet gave him the shot. I wispered in his ear how grateful I was for his love, how brave he was and how much I hoped I would see him again. There was no thunder clap. The lights didn’t dim. None of the things I felt should accompany the departure of such and wonderful soul. I only watched as his great heart slowed, he went limp in my arms and the light left his loving brown eyes.

Part of me went with him.I carried him with tears pouring down my face to the car where I placed his still warm body. I went back inside and paid the vet for his service. I couldnt affard a cremation like Kublai deserved at that moment, and the crematory wouldnt talk about a deal until Fri. . So i drove in the dark to my good friends house. I carried him to a quiet spot in the woods. I dug a deep hole. I put my dog in his place and I buried him. Then I sat under a tree in the cool and quiet. I’m a guy who doesnt get emotional. Im the one everyone leans on in times of trouble. But I sat under that tree and I cried for 2 hours. That was 3 weeks ago and I still can’t say his name with out crying. I was so blessed by his company. I love dogs, so I know Ill get another someday. Ill willingly allow myself to fall in love with another puppy and set myself up for heartache later down the road. thats the deal our creator makes with us. We only get that joy for a little while. But what a joy it is.

Here lies one who was brave without arrogance. Beautiful without being vain. Fierce in appearance, but gentle of soul. He had all the virtues of humanity and none of its vices. If I said these things about a man, they would be a lie. But i say them of my beloved dog, Kublai and they are truth.

KUBLAI
1992 – 2007

Randy from TN