On a wet, cold night last January, My wife and I were taking our son to his apartment in a nearby city. Later in the evening, after depositing him, my wife would drop me off at work, and she would go home. Long, long story short, my son forgot his house keys, and that involved, of course turning around, and returning the twenty miles to our house, geting his keys and starting all over again. While helping him search for his keys in our home, I happened to grab an old sweatshirt that was in my closet. I hadn’t worn the thing in years, I only kept it as it was a momento from a trip to Paris, France when I was in the Air Force. Anyway, we all piled back in the car, keys and old sweatshirt in hand. this go-around, they would drop me at work, (I’m a Police Officer), and my wife would run my son home.

Upon pulling into the department parking lot, we noticed an old cardboard box laying on it’s side in the middle of the lot. We didn’t pay much attention to it, I gathered my gear and headed for the office. A moment later my wife screamed “John!!” I turned to see my son cradling a small, shivering Toy Fox Terrier puppy, cold and wet, but happily licking his face. My son asked if I had a blanket in the car. I did not, but I did have, yep, that old sweatshirt. We dried her off as best we could, and wrapped her small body in the rest of the shirt and with the car heater, she warmed up in no time. There was no question that my son would keep her. Once he brought her to his home, his fiancee also fell in love with her.

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I found him in the parking lot of an old bar & expected him to run or fight as I picked him up — but he just climbed into my arms. I don’t know how old he was — but he was my best friend for 22 years.

He was a cat that decided he was going to like you until you liked him back & everyone he came in contact with did like him.

He had a “meow” such as never was heard (thus his name). He had a different meow for the different things he wanted & to that end — while speaking w/ my boss on the phone — my bos recorded his meow & another time Mau was wanting his food while I was on the phone & whoever I was talking to at the time suggested I hang up & feed my child & we both laughed when I told her that is my cat.

Mau was always at the door when I came home & if I did not pick him up he would climb up my clothes & perch himself on my shoulders & just purr away.

His main meals were whatever I was having & that inculdes carrots (when he could chew ’em) Hot wings (and that caused a different meow when he was in the litter box), donuts, & dorritos & iced tea.

If I was sick, he would always lay beside me & just purr. And that brings up another thing — Mau was a drooler — he was alwas drooling & once when I had strept throat & fell asleep with him on my chest I awoke to find my face wet from his drool — but we were friends & it was OK.

He liked dogs & would just kinda not bother with them — but other cats or kittens he took as a total offense & woud sulk & not purr until they were gone.

He became sick very quickly — his kidneys failed & he could not hydrate himself fast enough. So I took him in & the doctor asked if I wanted to stay outside the room — but how could I? We were friends & I could not let him die alone or without a fiend by his side. As he was dying he put out his paw & wrapped it around my finger & we held each other until he was gone.

The doctor told me he had never seen anything like that before & if he had not been treating Mau for 22 years he would have thought he was around 8.

I had my friend cremated & I have his ashes in a jewlery box on my dest with a name plate. I have told all my nephews & nieces that when I die — I want Mau placed with me.

I miss him so much & I can’t wait until I see him in heaven & have him perch himself on my shoulders again — let your body sleep & your spirit be free my friend until we meet again.

David from MI

Hi Mark,

I always love to talk about my wonderful 4 legged friends.

I especially love Labs and have had two. For me my heart was broken twice in a very short time.

In 1988 I decided to get a dog after many years of not having a pet. A girl who worked for the same company as myself had Black Lab puppies and wanted to find good homes for them. So, I went and picked the cutest pup who became Cassie. My best friend used to asked me all the time, tell me what she looks like. All I could say was “she is just the cutest pup in the world”. She really was!! She was the most beautiful Lab and oh so smart. She played ball better then the Mets. :) She could run deep and keep her eye on that ball and catch it everytime! She could play ball until she dropped. She was truly something to watch. A black streak in the field. Her other love was swiming, which would have not been anything without retreiving her ball. So there she was, a sight to behold, swiming with that yellow ball in her mouth. I loved her so much and was so proud of her. Just like my two wonderful sons that I have. They loved her too! But, Cassie was my dog.
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I definitely plan to purchase your book. Although it’s been almost 5 years since we lost our beloved Rusty, I still think of her every day. Her ashes rest in a wooden box by our bed. I touch that box everyday as I tell my sweet little girl how much I love her and miss her. We were privileged to have Rusty live with us for most of her 15 years and she brought my husband and I so much joy and happiness. Although we have since adopted two new dogs and adore them so much, our memories of Rusty will always fill our hearts. I pray that she is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge and that someday we will be together again for eternity. God Bless you as you work through your grief as I have.

Sandi from MI

I thank God for the gift of your talent and appreciate your asking for stories about your listeners pets.
I’m 55 years old and have owned dogs all my life. I grew up on and around farms in Orange County NY. My wife and I have 2 sons (now 14 & 12) – we all want to share the story of “Rags & Mattie-Matt”.
My wife & I are huge NY Yankee fans. In 1987 we answered a “free to a good home” want ad and picked up the sheep dog/Heinz 57 mix that we named “Righetti, aka “Rags “for short.
Rags was the Queen of the countryside – this land was her land, and wherever she stoo….well she just thought that she was the boss of almost evrything and everybody – except for me. I was the only one that she would obey with unquestioned obedience. My wife, Su, could call, beseech, scream at and finally beg Rags to be obedient – but to no avail. I would start many a good natured spat by making eye contact with Rags and then nodding my head in a direction and rags would obediently follow my direction. Of course, I would say to Su, “there now, see how easy it is?”

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Mark, I have not had a dog since I was a kid (73 now) – just never had the patience to treat them like they should be treated.

But I live in a neighborhood that has all sorts of dogs, and I know practically all of them by name. I know more dogs by their name than the people who walk them. When I meet them on the street I always say hello to the dog first – the few where I don’t know the name, I say: “Hya Pal, how ya doin’?”

Your mention tonite (10/29) of God making animals reminded me of a story I heard a long time ago and I only heard it once, and can’t remember where I heard it. I cannot believe you haven’t heard it, too, but just in case:

It is in the form of a legend, about time after the Garden of Eden and before the earliest civilization. All the people and animals lived together w/ no problems.
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