This is still so fresh in my heart, I am still trying to find closure. I would like to share the story about Bips. The initial posting was done by the wonderful family that gave us Bips and the ones that were with her during her final days.
Bips was given to me by my wonderful neighbors. She was called an anniversary present to my husband and myself. LOL, I had never had a dog of my own before and she converted me from a complete cat person to a head over heels dog person. The day she came to us she immediately attached herself to me. My husband and I laughed all the time, he said he was the play part of the relationship with Bips and I was the love. Bips loved playing ball...all the time. She would get her ball and put it next to whomever she chose to play with her and sit patiently waiting for you to throw it. Occasionally she would nose it closer to you, as if to say...here's the ball, throw the ball. She would stare at you, trying to mentally tell you, throw the ball, you know you want to throw the ball.
Bips was very choosy when it came to who she wanted to hang out with. She would only go to my older son if he had food, any other time she would bark and scamper away from him. No matter what he did to try to gain her favor, she would snub him. She would hide under my bed when I was getting ready for work and not come back out until I came home from work. She was the light of my life. She loved to get "dressed up" in her coats and sweaters. Her whole attitude would change, "Look at me, I'm beautiful."
On March 4, 2008, my husband and I were getting ready for a trip to Mexico. We would leave on the 6th and return on the 10th. I took her and her "niece", our other cockapoo to the family's house that gave her to us. They had just moved to our community, about 15 miles from their old house. Whenever we would travel, it was their house that I chose to have her stay because she was so picky about who her people were and she was comfortable with them. Because she would seem to get upset when I left her, I didn't say goodbye before I left, I quietly did that before I dropped her off. When I left, she was happy playing ball with the girls and hanging out with all the other dogs. I took her over there early so she wouldn't see me packing, another thing that upset her. The day before we left was a day spent driving to San Francisco for my passport, so I thought I was doing the best thing for her.
On March 7th, Bips, April, and 2 of our friends dogs got out of the yard and ended up on Hwy 50. A kind passerby was able to get our 2 friends dogs into their car and called to let him know that he had 2 of the dogs but the other 2 were afraid and running from him. Mr. D immediately went out to try to get my 2 dogs. While looking for the dogs, he was in constant contact with his 2 daughters at home, asking if they had shown back up there. April finally showed back up at the house and Mr. D continued looking for Bips. About 45 minutes after the escape he found her, hit by a car. He was on the phone with his daughters at the time, I cant imagine the heart wrenching conversation that came next.
I know that Bips was looking for me. I had left her with her other family but not in the house she was used to. Had she not been hit, I know she would have made it the 2 blocks to our house. Mr. D let my closest friends know what had happened, and I'm sure it came up whether or not to contact my husband and I in Mexico. I know what was decided was the best thing for everyone, not to tell me until I got home.
We arrived late on the 10th, normally I would have called and asked for the girls to be brought back to the house so they were there when I got home, but I didn't. I thought since I had the following day off from work I would go get them first thing in the morning. Soon after I woke, I got a phone call from a friend, asking how I was doing. I told her I was getting ready to go get the girls, and how much I was missing them. She told me I needed to call Mr. D first. I continued to ask why until she told me that "Bips was gone." I began asking questions, where she got out, where do I go look for her, I wasn't grasping what she was telling me. She finally said "Bips is dead." I lost it at that moment. I hung up on her and immediately called Mr. D. He came over and brought April with him. I was in shock.
I hold no blame for what happened, but am continuing to try to cope every day with the loss. I keep asking Mr. D questions, trying to find closure to the events that were completely out of Mr. D's control or my control.
A beautiful life was given to me in the form of an anniversary present, I am thankful everyday for that. She taught me that ball's are wonderful, dog slobber is a way of life, and that dogs are not that bad. I picture her with her kind brown eyes, wagging her tail, telling me to throw the ball, throw the ball. She just loved that ball.
