Smile ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frances Vitulla" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 9:04 PM Subject: [RecipesAndMore] Re: Gentle Ben
> > Hi Steve, I love this story about gentle ben. Thanks for sharing. > Original message: >> Gentle Ben >> This is dumb. I mean, Ben was just a dog, and he wasn't even my dog. >> But something about Ben captured a big piece of my heart. And now, >> today, that piece of my heart is broken. Is that dumb, or what? >> To be honest, I don't remember when or how I first became aware of Ben. >> I'm not exactly what you would call a pet person. I've always seen the >> dogs in the neighborhood as... well... dogs, something to be tolerated, >> not necessarily embraced. But there was something about this big old >> yellow Lab that made me notice him, and eventually love him, despite my >> best efforts to remain indifferent. >> I think he first captured my attention as the leader of our >> neighborhood doggy gang. >> I know you would normally call a group of dogs a pack, but that would >> suggest more organization, structure and purpose than these guys had. >> There were three or four of them, and they just sort of cruised the >> neighborhood, playing with children, yapping at cars and begging for >> food. Ben was clearly the alpha leader of the gang, because he was far >> and away the biggest of the dogs, but also because he had this powerful >> personality that seemed to permeate the entire gang... er... pack... >> er... whatever. >> And that wasn't a bad thing. I quickly learned that Ben's personality >> was something special. Not to get too anthropomorphic or anything, but >> Ben was a gentle soul. Sure, he was also playful, fun, loyal and >> good-natured - all of those things that are often attributed to beloved >> dogs, but he was first and foremost gentle. I don't remember ever >> hearing him growl or bare his teeth or act in an intimidating way - >> ever. There was a basic goodness and sweetness about him that made you >> feel that he was... I don't know... kind, and caring, and >> compassionate. Is that dumb? >> Certainly, Ben was special to my family, even though he wasn't ours. >> When my daughter Andrea was living at home, Ben would follow her when >> she went out jogging. I never feared for Andrea's safety because I knew >> Ben would take care of her. My son Jon would love to have a dog, but >> since we don't (see above), I have often found him playing and >> wrestling on the lawn with Ben. And even though she is allergic to dog >> hair, my wife, Anita, always carves out a piece of every pot roast and >> takes it outside to Ben, who seems to know when it is time to camp >> outside our back door and wait for his share of our dinner. >> For my part, Ben has been my barbecue buddy. I don't know if it's the >> smell of the propane or what, but 10 minutes after I fire up the >> barbecue, he's there. He doesn't beg, exactly, he just stretches out on >> the grass in the shade of our backyard apple tree and patiently waits. >> Occasionally he lifts up his head to look at me, in much the same way >> that Anita will occasionally poke her head out the back door to see how >> the grilling is coming. When Ben gets up and saunters over to the >> grill, I know that it's time to eat. >> I'll probably burn our next barbecue, because he won't be there to tell >> me when it's done. >> The last time we saw Ben was early last Friday morning. We were packing >> the car to take a quick trip out of town. Ben was just sitting there, >> watching me pack the car. >> He wasn't frolicking like he used to when he was a pup, but he sat >> there, and I talked to him a little as I prepared to leave. Then Jon >> came outside and scratched the back of Ben's head. >> "Hey, Buddy," Jon said, as Ben looked up at him with those adoring eyes >> of his. "Did you come to say good-bye?" >> Evidently, he did. When we got home Sunday night, our neighbor >> tearfully told us that Ben had been peacefully put to sleep. We knew >> Ben was getting old, but we weren't aware of the health problems he was >> having that finally caught up to him that morning. >> So it was startling to us. >> We took our evening walk in silence. We informed other neighbors of the >> loss in hushed tones. Tears were shed by all of us, who believe that >> our neighborhood is a kinder, gentler place because we knew and loved a >> dog named Ben, even if that sounds... you know... dumb. > >> > -- > Email services provided by the System Access Mobile Network. Visit > www.serotek.com to learn more about accessibility anywhere. > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
