Pets are wonderful creatures, especially when they become members of the family
and that phenomenon has occurred numerous times in our family unit. Although
Otto and I no longer have a four-legged companion, and we will forever remember
Echo, both Scott and Arlin and their families continue the tradition by having
their own trusted buddies.
Dusty dog belonged to my brother and the Scott family during our junior high and
high school years and she was famous for being the only dog in Richland who had
a charge account at a local establishment, for ice cream, you will not believe
that story so I will save it for a later column, or better than that, ask David
about the details.
Dusty had a loving mother but sadly never knew who her daddy was, came to us by
way of a friend and lived all her seventeen years there in Richland, most of
those years on the Lumpkin highway also known as Nicolson Street. Dusty liked
nearly everyone and was always well behaved but I think she loved our daddy the
best, and daddy let Dusty ride in the car with him quite often.
Dusty preferred to live outside but during inclement weather she came in to
sleep but never bothered anything or made a mess; she was an ideal pet who
rarely roamed, therefore Dusty will never be forgotten.
Then there was a pretty little spotted kitten that arrived unexpectedly in a
well ventilated, decorated cardboard box. She meowed when we opened the carton
and jumped boldly into our lives. Our young sons named her Anna as a way to
celebrate our wedding anniversary, I believe that she was a homeless kitten
looking for a family that found our youngsters and followed them home. What a
precious memory of an anniversary surprise I will never forget.
Echo, the homeless puppy was adopted from the shelter by some enterprising
cadets who lived in Main Barracks at Georgia Military College, which explains
the name, but when they could no longer keep her hidden, they put out the
pertinent information to the junior college students. Arlin immediately adopted
her and brought her to our house out on GMC Road.
I glimpsed Echo with cadets while at work but never imagined she was going to
become our companion. That puff ball of fur grew into a precious adult who wore
that bright and shiny white coat like a mink stole.
The fact that Otto taught Echo to talk was a secret except to our family and
close friends, she recognized each of our family members by name and Otto
claimed that she said "I love you" better than most humans. She knew how to
get more than a fair share of treats from Otto and lived a charmed life because
she too was well mannered and charismatic. She went for grooming frequently and
always came home sporting a brightly colored bandana; she adored our family and
that is where her memory will forever reside.
