Prior Family Sports

From Steve:

As some of you already know, our best friend and family member, Tomo, was put to rest on Tuesday, August 2, 2011. He had been inflicted with a nasal tumor, that became painful and last week forced him off dry food. Most problematic, his breathing generally was affected and the tumor made it impossible for him to sleep at night as he ultimately could no longer breathe through either nostril of his nose. It was a rapidly advancing cancer.

He was laid to rest at Nanny and Papa’s, his first home and a place he spent so many happy days. He was buried in the ‘back forty’, where he would always sneak off to, if you gave him the chance. Ava and Rebecca asked to participate in his burial and, with some hesitation, Heather and I agreed. Although very upset with the loss of their “brother”, they showed unbelievable grace and maturity in laying him to rest, and continue to do so. Heather and I are so proud of them. Eric, unfortunately only knew Tomo as the ever-present furry scavenger under his high chair. And while some may think of Eric as our first boy, he really is our second – Tomo was our first. Tomo was with me when I proposed to Heather and while it was clear that she jumped at the chance to be his mom, I am not entirely sure I was really part of the equation. I hope that she will still have me.

I know that Tomo will also be missed by his canine friends. I hate the fact that I no longer have to be careful when saying any word that ends with ‘out’, so as to avoid his disappointment that he would not be seeing his best pal ‘Scout’. Without fail, saying “Do you want to see Scout?” would instantly trigger the unmistakable reaction of excited trembling, focused look and tail fluttering anticipation. However, if Tomo was within earshot, which was always, and he happened to hear us say “did you buy any girl scout cookies?” or even “did you ever catch a trout?”, then instantly we would notice the reaction in him that made it only seem fair that a ‘play date’ soon follow.

He was buried with an old Frisbee and two tennis balls, and I am sure that is not enough as those will be worn to the core in no time, as he fetches pain-free in heaven. As many of you may know, his full name was ‘Tomochichi’, an Indian name meaning ‘the one who causes to fly up.’ He sure lived up to his name as his enthusiasm to fetch would almost demand that you assist him in that pursuit. Once started, the number of times that his endless ‘terminator’ drive would cause a tennis ball or Frisbee ‘to fly up’ was limited only by the stamina of the person throwing the ball or Frisbee… you would always quit before he would. We thank all of you who tried and surely failed to wear him out, but I am sure that the pleasure was all yours.

13 years ago, when he was just a 9 week- old puppy, I hit the lottery when Tomo picked me to be his dad. Tomo always made it look like I knew what I was doing as a dog owner, but it was all him. He could be trained to do anything in what seemed like moments. If I were a professional dog trainer, the jig would surely be up now. However, he did have a few “flaws.” There was zero chance for the girls ever to get a kitty or a small dog… can we say “lunch” …. or at least AWOL felines… Sorry Nanny. And the same nose that would seek out and find tennis balls unknowingly buried in friend’s closets, behind walls and encapsulated in lead, never learned that three inches behind a skunk’s rear end was a bad place to be.

On his last day, he still had his enthusiasm to chase his ball, and through his arthritis and a shoulder tumor that had returned, we were able to enjoy more than a few fetches. And he still had that inquisitive look and fluttering tail in his search for “chippies” (chipmunks) around the wood pile…. but it was his time. Heather and I were with him as he left us, and with him having such a good day it made it all the harder for us to let him go. But we know that it was better for him to be that way, as he was happy and “with us” until the end.

My vet told me, and I wholeheartedly agree, that we enter a contract with our pets when we get them. They will love us unconditionally, and in the end, we must be there with them and end their suffering in the most humane way possible. Needless to say, he made our part of the deal all the harder to bear. Tomo lived a long and happy life, and we were beyond fortunate for every day that we had with him….all I can say is that we will truly miss him.