My little Tonton in paradise

I still remember the day I went to look for you in this shelter.

It was 11 years ago...

I had visited the shelter, and in one of the cages I saw you. You were so small, you made as much noise all by yourself as the 4 other dogs with you. You looked so sad but so full of energy, you really wanted to be noticed! It was love at first sight, so I called the person in charge and you came home with me.

You soon became Rambo's big buddy. Sure, you tried to make yourself master, but the big guy made you understand that he was the boss, and you accepted it. Even though you were small in stature, you took up an enormous amount of space in the house, never lowering your voice and taking every opportunity to make yourself noticed.

Then came my Chouchou, and the two of you began to fall in love. You were always together, as if you'd always lived together.

When Canaille arrived, you tried to play Don Juan, but mademoiselle didn't appreciate it, you were too small for her. She wanted to play with you, but no more, and yet you tried to please her, a flirt like no other.

When the 3 bandits were born, you lost a few grams and a few hairs too, which you played with, and yet you weren't young anymore, but you remained a strong young man.

I'm convinced, seeing all the love I received from you, that I was able to make you happy.

When your brother Chouchou left, you became sad, I think you aged a few years, you also started to put on weight, which you looked for after him, you were like a weasel, there wasn't a place in the house where you didn't look, but in vain. You were as noisy as ever, but I could see you missed him terribly, I think you were like me, inconsolable. Even lately, when I'd say Chouchou or Milou, you'd come right up to me, hoping I'd found your brother.

You'd hide under the bed and I'd have to say Allez mon Tonton, au dodo, and you'd come out and stand next to me so I could put you on the bed.

It's true, you were the king of pissers, you'd baptize meters and meters of them in the yard, sometimes you'd even try to lift your paw inside, but all it took was for someone to say to you , “So what's a pisser? And proudly, you'd walk out, taunting everyone.

And finally, on Tuesday March 23, 2004, after 11 happy years with us...

I'd gone to the clinic with Mom, and my wife wasn't at home. As usual, the whole tribe was inside, and when I got home, my wife wasn't home yet, even though she was supposed to be.

When I got home, I saw blood in the living room, Canaille and Rambo inside, the 3 bandits outside... And my Tonton?

I see the business card for the veterinary clinic next to the telephone and realize that Tonton is certainly injured. There's been a fight with the 3 youngest kids, probably because some jerk has come to warm them up again by banging on the door or window.

I raced to the clinic and the vet was waiting for me. Tonton was on the table in the operating room, his neck full of blood, I could see in his eyes that he was waiting for me, his little tail twitched slightly.

The vet told me that the nerve had also been affected, and his hind legs had stopped reacting. His neck was torn and he had lost a lot of blood.

I can try an operation,” said the vet, ”but there's no guarantee. He's likely to remain paralyzed from the rear and worse, he'll have a hanging head, provided the operation is successful.

We were in tears, I looked into my Tonton's eyes and he closed his eyes, then opened them again to look into the whites of my eyes. I understood what he was saying :

I've waited for you my friend, I've resisted to see you one last time and thank you for this beautiful life I've had in your company, the time has come to say goodbye, I'm weak, help me go and find my brother Chouchou, I beg you, if you really love me...

I put my face against his, said ADIEU my baby and waved to the vet...

My Tonton closed his eyes and went to heaven.

I wrapped him in the bath towel, gave him a hug and carried him to the car.

He's now next to his Chouchou, in heaven but also in the earth. They rest together, as they did when they were alive.

You'll have flowers too, like your brother, and I'll visit you every day with tears in my eyes...

I'll still have the love of your old friend Rambo, of little Canaille and the 3 little ones, but I'll miss you my little Tonton, I'll never forget you either, you're gone but you'll always be in my heart.

I know, you'll tell me that in some time... but I loved this little furry fellow so much, I have his photo in front of my computer and it seems to me that he's saying to me :

It's not your fault Francis, I'm crying too, where I am, to be separated from you, but our hearts remain united for life (the one you have left without me).

I beg you my friend, never forget me, you were my breath of life and if I could have a second life, it's with you that I'll spend it, I really had a happy life with you, alas much too short.

Farewell my lifelong friend, please don't cry, I'm no longer here to console you, so do me this favor, when you look at my photo, give me a smile... If you can...

Don't forget that I really loved you, keep hoping that one day, in heaven, we'll meet again and nothing will ever separate us again...