When Madison was a little girl, about 9 or 10 years old she had an evaluation at school. It was for special services due to her physical disability done by a physical therapist. That therapist happened to be an old friend of mine, Tammy. We had been friends since we were very young and as it goes in life sometimes, we lost touch after graduation. Anyway Tammy evaluated Madison then asked her some questions. She asked Madison if she could have any 3 things in the world what would those be. Tammy said Madison didn’t need long to think, her first answer was world peace, her second was that no one would ever be hurt and her third was for a puppy. Tammy said, “You better get that baby a puppy or I will.”
Madison didn’t get that puppy right away. When she was 13, just 6 months after her back surgery in 2006, we got Danny. He’s a Welsh Pembroke Corgi; he’s adorable and bad as can be and very lucky he’s so cute. Danny adored Madison, she taught him how to open her door by pulling a string and he rarely left her side. When she left the house he would wait by the front door for hours. Then he would go looking in the usual places for her. I would tell him, “Go see your mama,” and he would run to find her and stay with her. I don’t say, “mama,” around Danny anymore, I didn’t want to confuse him. There are still some nights at bedtime when he heads toward her door. She loved him so very much. I feel bad when I remember being angry with Danny for some of the things he did. I know Madison also felt bad. I wonder if he misses her too.
God how I miss that child, I never knew such consistent aching in the middle of my body. But if this is a fraction of the pain Madison lived with daily, and at such a young age, I’ll endure. Thank you God for our time with Madison.
8-25-08 Danny
I battle with a disease, and I have had many loved ones die, but oddly enough the most significant thing to happen in my life occurred when I was thirteen. I can remember it like it was yesterday…
We were in the car on our way to Mississippi, and my sister Dallas and I were sitting in the back seat. My parents were listening to music and my brother Derric had decided to stay at home. I was so excited. I don’t think I slept much the night before. I kept thinking it was a dream, like I was going to wake up any minute and realize this was all a cruel joke. But it wasn’t.
I was relieved when we finally arrived at the McDonalds’. No this story isn’t about my quest for the “perfect” cheeseburger; I’m still searching for that. We had to meet the person there because she lived too far away. Anyway we got to the McDonalds’ and my heart was pounding so hard that I could feel it pulsing through my fingertips. A lady got out of the car next to us, and what she was carrying was possibly the most adorable, gorgeous ball of fluff I had ever seen, ever in the history of the world.
He was all curled up in her arms, and staring at me through the window. His fur was 3 different colors: black, red-brown and white. As he stared at me through the window with those intensely big almond brown eyes, he smiled at me. I was astonished. I mean I have never seen a dog smile before that wasn’t computer generated to do so. He was perfect in every way imaginable, spunky, sweet, beautiful, and intelligent and best of all he was mine, all mine. When I got out of the car to hold him, he did it again. Was it possible for a dog to smile as beautiful as he did? When I held him, he seemed to know me. He curled up in my arms and rested.
On our way home he slept. He didn’t want to leave my lap and I didn’t want that either. The whole ride home I was stroking his huge ears and whispering his name “Danny Zuko mine forever.” He’s been my confidant, everything I can’t tell to anyone else I tell him. He listens to me. I mean he really listens and I know that sounds crazy but it’s true. The way humans look you in the eye to listen, only he seems to understand, and he is my Greatest Treasure.
(And yes, Danny does smile sometimes and he also winks.)
