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 Tia Bedwell | Daily Herald Kramer smiles up at me backstage during Lakeland Theatre Company’s production of “Annie.” |
I still remember when he bounded up the hall of the Daily Herald as the Humane Society’s Pet of the Week. He was there to have his picture in hopes that as the week’s pet he would soon be adopted.
I took one look at him, picked him up and that was it — love.
He had so much personality for a dog ... he was nearly human. At that time I was a huge fan of “Seinfeld” and this puppy reminded me of a character on that show. He had crazy hair, bounded into rooms at full force and was just full of energy, so he became Kramer.
Kramer grew up with me in my first apartment. He cuddled with me on cold nights, ate my whole plate of spaghetti when I was in another room and small rocks when we were outside before I could stop him. He wasn’t always the most behaved dog, of course. I would come home and my apartment would look like a tornado went through it or I could hear him jumping off my bed when I turned the shower off so he hopefully wouldn’t get caught where he wasn’t suppose to be. I loved him even as I scolded him.
He was there for me when first my father died very suddenly from a stomach aneurism, and again two years later, when my mother was killed in an automobile accident. Animals know when you need love and attention and offer it freely without expecting anything in return.
He also stepped up and became the loveable “Sandy” in Lakeland Theatre Company’s production of “Annie.” You never knew what to expect from him during a show. He once even went into the audience during a school day matinee. Everyone was panicking and I calmly said don’t worry, he will be back (I was secretly praying he really would be) and he did of course. At the end of the show, everyone wanted to meet “Sandy” and he loved the attention. He licked up the children’s love like a doggie treat.
He has touched a lot of hearts through the years.
Recently, I began noticing he was having a harder time getting around and I knew I had to face the fact he was very old. I was lucky to even have him as long as I did.
For the last few weeks I have been struggling with what to do. I did not want to let my baby go, but if I had to, I hoped it would happen naturally. I tried my best to get him to take medicine and eat, but he was refusing and he had lost so much weight and when I had to put a diaper on him it broke my heart.
I had asked opinions of my friends and someone older and wiser told me, “Tia, you will know when the time is right ... you do not do it for yourself, you do it for your dog.” That made so much sense to me. I knew I would never be ready to let him go.
So, on Monday, Aug. 17, I looked into Kramer’s big brown eyes and knew it was time. As I drove to the vet, I knew what I was doing was best for him ... and I held on to that. I cradled his head in my arms and kissed him goodbye as he fell asleep forever. I wanted him to know and feel how much he meant to me as he left me.
I will never forget my best friend. I loved him so much.
I received a card in the mail from the vet, which I will treasure forever. On the front it said, “A pet is never truly forgotten until it is no longer remembered.” On the inside was an ink print from Kramer’s paw. My loveable mutt will never be forgotten.
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