Lee Roy the border collie has been gone for going on a decade. Now, our friend Barry has a new puppy, Carly, and seeing her regularly, coupled with the rediscovery of this photo, has been bringing back sweet memories of Lee Roy.
During a visit last week – outside only, because we promised the cats – Carly decided my arm was good for gnawing on. I gave her a carrot, which is how we teethed Lee Roy. She’s too little and excited to concentrate on it yet, but every time she rediscovered the vegetable she was entranced. It’s a healthy distraction that kept Lee Roy’s pointy teeth off our flesh.
Although he loved a variety of vegetables, Lee Roy’s great love was the tennis ball. The first time he saw one, though, he wasn’t impressed. He growled, barked and snarled at it, willing it to move so they could either play or fight, I’m not sure which!
And so began a life of devotion to the tennis ball. We must have bought hundreds over his lifetime. He was tireless at playing fetch and always wanted a ball nearby. If we got back home after a rousing game, he would sit and wait patiently while I washed the dirt off the ball before allowing him to have it in the house, just to be near. As long as there was a ball, there was a chance of playing. After he died, I found balls in the yard, under the car seat, in the trunk – one of them now sits beside the box that holds his ashes.
I don’t ever want another puppy. They’re too much work and I’m just not up for that anymore. Barry is retired, so he has limitless time to devote to Carly and her training. She’s going to be a terrific dog. And something like giving her a carrot while she’s teething is how Lee Roy stays alive in my heart.