Murphy

OK, so a few days have passed since Murphy went over the Rainbow Bridge and I'm feeling slightly better. I figure I have to focus on the "good" memories in order to not let the pain of missing him get to me. My friends who have known me (and Murphy) for a long time know that we never figured he'd become a "good" dog. More like Marley from that book. Here are a few of the "great" stories that I'm able to smile about now.

• When I first picked Murphy up from the pound he managed to eat the sofa within his first week at the house.


• Murphy then moved to a crate when I wasn't home - but managed to break out of every crate I ever purchased - until I put padlocks all over the edges.


• Murphy would sooner die that pee or poop in the house. Unfortunately, he ate kitty poop once and it gave him heinous diarrhea - while he was in his crate and I was at work. I opened the door after arriving home, and was hit in the face with {{gag}} {{heave}}...


• Murphy got skunked and Sam didn't realize it. He let Murphy in the house, and Murphy proceeded to wipe his face all over the couch, chair, loveseat, carpet, stairs, bedroom...


• Murphy got into the basement and ate a case of blue painballs. Folks, that's 1000 3/4 inch diameter gelatin balls filled with "water soluable" paint. Then at 3 in the morning he projectile vomited paint into the corner on the brand new tan berber carpet.


• Murphy was an accomplished kitchen counter surfer - enough said.


• Murphy would start bouncing when we got home from work, and bounce backwards towards the dog-food closet trying to convince us that it was, in fact, dinner time.


• Murphy had a knee injury - we took him for X-rays, and they tried to sedate him. He refused to relax after we left despite the sedative and remained awake the whole time - so when we came to pick him up and arrived in the room, he promptly staggered over to me and immediately fell asleep, causing the vet to just shake his head.


• Murphy had a passion for beer. Enough said.


• Murphy had a passion for pillows. Again - enough said.


• All of Murphy's girlfriends have been golden retrievers - he loves those long-haired blondes.


• The only food item I ever saw him refuse was a banana.

I had a special bond with Murphy - we understood each other - I'll really miss him.