Adventure

I got hooked on having a four-leg bodyguard at the Sacramento Sheriff's Reserve Academy. A Canine officer brought his 100-pound German Shepherd, named Thor, to visit. Thor had been trained to track, detect drugs, and catch criminals. In 1984, Thor was a $10,000 dog. Thor had been imported from Germany. I volunteered to be Thor's target. I had been loving him up for a few minutes just before the officer gave the alert command. Thor jumped on his rear legs bark begging to tear me apart. Afterward, Thor was again fine with me petting him. I would…

Anubis lived 18 years and two days. His mistress, my wife, took him to the veterinarian for a well check. Anubis was having a hard time standing and walking. Just six months ago, Anubis attacked his mistress for his daily morning chicken. By attacking, I mean he was grabby. Gradually, Anubis became unstable on his feet. In his last month, we raised his water bowl twice. Despite all of his difficulties, soon after his mistress's daily departure for the gym and errands, Anubis stood watch at the garage door peering through his doggie door waiting for her…

I was adopted by Leonard and Ilo Pullen in 1965. Leonard and Ilo were foster parents to 48 children through the years. They raised two boys, Slim and Stan, along with their two sons before my adoption. Slim and Stan both moved to Montana where they both died in workplace accidents. Thereafter, Ilo only accepted babies that were waiting for placement. Leonard was a civil servant who took blind people grocery store shopping and fishing on his boat. Fred Zine was totally blind. Fred amazed my father and me by being able to give the grocery clerks…