Toby was his name. He was a registered German Shepard that brother Joe brought home to pappy in 1955. The dog had been mistreated by his former owner to the point of him bein viscious at times. You didn't want to be seen by ole Toby a walkin with a stick or club in your hands. The same went for Longbows too. So, we didn't and old toby started mellowin out as he saw we weren't gonna harm him any. He started to be our friends but pap was his bestest friend. He would follow pap everywhere he went on his tractor. If pap was plowin the field old toby would run alongside the tractor or follow in the deadfurrow. Back and forth he'd go. In the real hot days of summer old toby would follow along every trip. By the middle of the afternoon he would just be too tired to run anymore. He'd find'm a nice shady spot in the fencerow and just lay, snooze and watch pap go back and forth. When he had rested some and if he saw a rabbit-he'd take off and run the rabbit down. He never kilt'm or et'm. After ketchin'm he'd turn'm loose to continue on their way. He was a good old dog. I remember when I was a runnin around before leavin home-i'd come in real late at night and old toby would still be on duty. I'd start runnin to the hous and hollerin his name. He would always beat me to the door but by the time I was there he knew who I was and let me by. He lived until about 1966. He was almost blind, hard of hearin and crippled with arthur so bad he could hardly walk. Pap would sometimes let'm sleep in the utility room just off the main house-it was warm , heated with a Home Comfort wood cookstove. Ole tob had a rug he'd sleep on behind the stove. Real cold days and nights he'd lay on the floor by paps chair and enjoyed pap rubbin his'n old haid with a hand danglin over the chair arm. Dinnertime was good too. Pap would always feed old Toby what he was eatin. One year pap took grain to the elevator in Olney. Old Toby ran alongside the tractor about half of the entire distance. He lost his "soul" on that trip! Pap always laughed about it, not becuase tobe was hurt but because of the play on words. He lost a pad off one foot while runnin all those miles-over 20 miles round trip. Toby got to ride on the tractor with pap after comin up lame. He recuperated at home for about 2 weeks before pap would let'm out to run again. They were fast friends until the end. Almighty God gives us companions in life that don't always include other people entirely. Pets are special gifts of God to His people, for their enjoyment. Of course they don't compare to other people but are still important. Good times then and even better now as I remember'm. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 21, 2000

Answers

Thanks Hoot! My ole Toby was named Pepper. She joined our family when we were both 6 weeks old. Got hit by a car when she was pregnant with her first litter. She had a broken back and hip and some internal damages. I don't recall this myself, but my mom told me that the vet was very uncertain she could make it and told her as much. Then he looked out in the waiting room and saw five little kids with tears streaming down their faces and hands folded praying for their pup. He told my mom he'd do all he could and sent us home.

He operated on her that night and kept her in the vet hospital for a full week then sent her home to recuperate. Total charge to my folks was $15.00.

She lost that litter and was spayed during the operations on her back. So she took some orphaned kittens and nursed them when she was still recuperating. Pepper lived to be 15. A good friend, too.

-- Doreen (liberty546@hotmail.com), August 23, 2000.

Hoot, I waited to read this one for a while, as I knew it would make me cry. Sometimes I wish that I wasn't so fond of those we call "pets"...Nah, not really, I'm glad I'm not one of those that just thinks they're animals and have no feelings. Thanks for the trip to the past, I'm sure a lot of us have an old Tobe in our lives! Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), August 28, 2000.

My own personal "Toby" was a little rat terrier named "Jesse James". He came to live with us in 1992. Ole Jeep had his'n mom who had about 10 litters before ole Jess showed up. He was a rite smart dog, rode with me in my old chevy van and was so small he'd lay on the dash and look out the windshield. When he got older he would really pay attention to what you were say'n. Look you right straight in the eyes and I swear he knew exactly what you were say'n. Everywhere I went ole Jess would go. He hated snakes as much as I did but was afeered of'm. If he just happened to be "dropped" on a big snake his legs would suddenly get 8 feet tall!. After ole Jess was here for 2 years he had a companion--"Frankie". Frankie was ole Jess's nephew- son. Ruthie was Frankies mom and ole sneakin Jesse's older sister. In August of 1996, they turned up missin. Neighbor called me after 3 days and told me he might've found m'dogs. I went with'm and sure nuff, there ole Jess was with Frankie right behind'm. In front of ole Jesse was a momma possum and her'n little one. They were all dead- kilt by a big natural gas pipeline leak--and they wre all layin in a dry creekbed. I went down the ravine to check if it was ole Jesse and Frankie. The gas had been turned off for a couple days but still it was real heavy in that low place. I made it down just fine but in 5 seconds I'd seen all I needed to and started out. It wasn't that easy gettin out. Neighbor was kinda worried cause I'm a big dude and he ain't. Told'm he coulda jest thowed a rope round m'leg and drag me out. Haven't had a dog since. None could ever take the place of ole Jesse or Frankie. Actually Frankie was lil dumplins dog. I'm too old and lazy to train anouther one. Course----ratdog in Texas sells'm!!! Hummmmmmmm! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 28, 2000.