Day 10

Childhood memory

We got a puppy when I was about 3 years old.  A beautiful female English Springer Spaniel who we named Sweet Ginger Brown the second.  We called her Ginger for short.  When she was about a year old she had puppies.  She had 7 puppies but one died at birth.  David got two puppies to take care of, Donna had two puppies to care for, I had one puppy and my dad had one.  Mom got to take care of Ginger.  It was so much fun to have one little puppy to take care of.  I named him Ducky because well, my sister named one of hers Bear so I thought I could name a puppy after an animal as well. 

One by one each puppy was sold except for Ducky.  Ducky was about four months old and Mom and Dad were going to keep him because they couldn't find anyone that wanted to buy him and then one day someone wanted to buy him.  Mom and Dad sold him and I cried.  15 years later my dad tells me that shortly after they sold Ducky he was hit buy a car.  For those that have not owned springer's they are a lively bunch and they like to jump and run (hence the springer name).  Well, Ducky hopped over a fence (he probably saw a rabbit or something) and was hit by oncoming traffic. 

I may have been 18 or 19 (it was summer but I don't remember if it was before or after my birthday) when I finally heard the news but it still brought tears to my eyes.  Ducky was a great dog and he was my friend.  I got him back though, in Jake.  Jake is my very best friend and it will be a very sad day indeed when I have to say my final goodbye to him!