This is my Stormie. She passed away 4 years ago at the age of 12 and took a huge piece of my heart with. I wasn't a dog person until she made me one. One day in October of 2004, shortly after my ill-fated marriage ceremony, my wife called me at work saying she'd found a puppy outside of her brother's apartment and could we keep it. I said we'd talk about it once I got home, and spent my entire shift thinking of all the ways to say "no." I got home, and inside a tiny box was this two-week-old puppy to which my immediate reaction was: "ok, I'll take her to the vet tomorrow and find out what she might need." No question. We had to bottle feed her for the first month, then gruel, and finally hard food. She immediately became the best thing that ever happened to me, the sole light during some of my darkest hours. She was MY dog despite my ex bringing her home. When we divorced, I gave my ex everything we owned; I just wanted out. She asked who was getting Stormie, and it was the closest I’ve come to domestic violence in my life. No worries, I didn’t do anything, but my wide-eyes and loud tone made it clear Stormie wasn’t in question, and my ex agreed.
I moved back in with my parents for a few months while I got my affairs in order, and soon got the offer to move to Texas. My mom and dad had gotten very attached to Stormie in that time, and my sister asked if I could leave Stormie there while I transitioned to Texas; I agreed. But being down here alone in a one bedroom apartment, figuring it all out by myself and not having the support system of family, spouse or friends to properly care for a long-haired, high-energy dog in this Texas heat, I reluctantly asked my parents if they’d like to keep her “indefinitely.” They loved the idea. I couldn’t wait to see her on my trips home; the first time I visited, she was so excited, she had a seizure. I laid on the floor with her, petting her and kissing her until the seizure passed. 6 years went by, she aged and fell ill. In November of 2016, I got the call from my sister that my parents had to put her down. She was crying. I cried for days. I’m ready to cry now just recalling that day. I’ve entertained the idea of getting a dog with my current girlfriend, but I know I don’t just want “a dog;” I want Stormie, and since that’s not possible, I’m content to love on the various dogs that cross my path for those few moments and let them go without attachment.
