Sad Day

Today is usually a happy day because it is the 4^th of July, but unfortunately it is a very sad day for me and my family. I received a phone call this morning a 8 A.M. to tell me that Coffee (the dog I rescued back in 1992) was very ill and I should come by my folks house to see him. Well unfortunately I did not make it on time to see him go before he passed away. I just want to say goodbye to him and that I will miss him.

I found this dog back in 1992 while on a habitat retreat with my Senior Class in the mountains of Hazard County, Kentucky. Way up in the Appalachian Mountains. For one week while up there he become my pal as he was a stray (as I asked all the neighbors there and they confirmed it) dog and would follow me around, and when time came to leave the school wouldn’t let take him back with us. So I stole from our kitchen about 15 sausages and left them in yard of the Church where we were staying for Coffee and hopped he would be enticed to stay and as my plan was to come back and get him (people all thought I was crazy and lying). After we got back to Chicago, I had to fly to Colorado for 2 days to visit schools and while I was there I called a few of my friends, Gerard, Larry, Jeremy, Kato and Keith and when I got back all of us hopped in 2 cars and drove back to Kentucky hoping that this dog still would be waiting for us. By the time we hit the bottom of the mountain before the final stretch we all stopped at a gas station and got some gas station munchies and drinks and realized that this trip might be for nothing and the dog probably won’t be there. Well as we got back to the church, as soon as we got out of the car, much to my surprise Coffee came running right up to me, just like it was meant to be. He gladly hopped in and came back with us and happily lived a healthy life until this morning. I just want to thank my parents and both my sisters Ariane and especially Margot for the wonderful care and love they gave him.

Good-bye Coffee. I will miss you and always love you.