Charlie will always make me smile

When I was a younger I dreamed of having a puppy all my own. So one Christmas I put on my Texas tuxedo and drove to visit my grandma and aunt ... and to get a dog named Charlie.

Charlie was a big puppy. But he was a great dog. He was friendly, rarely barked, and wasn't too needy.

Except he could easily jump our fence and run away.

Still we loved Charlie. We gave him a buzz cut and laughed. He smiled and wagged his tail. Even when we were mad at him for running away, he would still make us smile at the end of the day. He was a sweet heart.

One day Charlie ran across a major road to a Jewish temple during a Bar Mitzvah. We were concerned. Later he ran across a bigger street to Kroger, and back. It was time to give him a new home where he couldn't jump the fence as easily.

So Charlie went to live with my grandma. He still got out from time to time, but mellowed with old age. He quietly laid around and kept my grandma company. She walked him multiple times a day so he could potty, but really so she could get out and be active.

As the years went by Charlie slowed down more and more. So has my grandma. Yet they kept strong despite their health problems. They were so good for each other. In a way Charlie kept my grandma going each day. He relied on her for food and walks and everything. She never let him down.

Sadly Charlie had to put to sleep yesterday. It was time and no one wanted to see him suffer anymore than he was already. I'll always remember him as my first dog, for his happy face as he ran through neighbor's yards like it was a big game, and the way he always could make me smile. Most importantly, I'll remember Charlie for bravely soldiering on into old doggy age and being there for my grandma everyday.

If I could be that little boy wearing too much denim again, I would give you that big hug again and again. You epitomize the reason people love their pets so much. I'll miss you.

Thank you Charlie.