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Letter #7 - Alfie's Last Letter From Bill's Place
'Introduction'
By Mike Stype
My brother's miniature schnauzer, Maggie, passed away a couple of years ago. She had been his longtime companion and the inevitable separation was painful, as any true pet lover knows. She was his companion, child, side-kick and, pretty much, his reason for being. Although she could never be replaced, Alfie was destined to try.
Alfie belonged to an elderly lady who took him to the veterinary hospital where my brother works as a veterinary technician and office manager. He also did grooming for Alfie and some other dogs (all miniature schnauzers) belonging to relatives and friends of his. Alfie and Bill had always gotten along quite well together during his grooming sessions. Then, last December, the lady who owned Alfie asked Bill if he might know of anyone who would take him, as Alfie had caused her to fall several times by pulling too hard on his leash. Having recently lost Maggie, and with his schedule preventing him from breaking in a new puppy, Bill decided to give him a trial stay, and they quickly became best buddies.
It wasn't easy for her to give Alfie up and it wasn't easy for Alfie to forget his first owner. To help ease the transition for the generous lady who gave Alfie to Bill, the series of 'Alfie's Letters Home' was written to the former owner by Bill Stype. They tell the story of the transition as seen from Alfie's point of view. In reading these letters, I saw a touching and amusing story that could be shared with others; almost anyone who had ever had a pet could identify with this saga.
Bill doesn't have a website and didn't think many people would be interested. I'm presenting them here because I think he's wrong and I need you to help me prove it. (OK, I may be biased a bit because he's my brother, but not very much. I really think they're good!)
--- Mike Stype ---
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He went away a couple nights ago for several hours and I thought he was never going to come back, but he did and I was so happy! I didn't chew anything up or go in the house or anything and that made him very happy I think. I took good care of his place just like I did for you. He is trying to teach me this thing called 'come', and it is really fun, 'cause when I go running to him when he says it I get a pat and a treat. I don't like to do it all the time 'cause sometimes he says it when I am busy looking at something interesting. And he doesn't like it when I pull on the leash too hard, so I have stopped doing that - when I feel it pulling I just stop and go another direction or something and that seems to make him happy too, 'cause he tells me I'm a good dog and gives me pats.
He fixed up a bed for me with my blanket from home, but I only sleep there sometimes when he puts me in it, I really prefer to sleep in his chair (or especially on his lap when he sits in his chair). I didn't like to eat from the bowl he had 'cause it was near a wall, but I figured out it wasn't so scary, so now I eat there all the time with no problems. I get to sleep in his bed at night, but I sneak out from under the covers when he goes to sleep and I stay there the whole night. When we get up we go to Grandma's house where there are two other Schnauzers. One is real quiet and just stays in her bed most of the time, but the other one they call Sebastian is really fun to play with. We run around in the house and outside too, and sometimes we play tug on one of the zillions of toys at his house. I do my best to beg for food at the table while they have breakfast, and sometimes I get a doggy treat or even a bite of toast, but mostly I just get my U/D and lots of cuddles while they eat all the good stuff.
I really miss you, but I don't look for your car like I did the first day or so. I think I will like it here and Bill says that when I get this 'come' thing down I can have extra privileges - whatever that means! He won't let me bark as much as I want either, but I do get to announce things, so that's o.k..
Well, I'd best go for now, but I'll write again soon and let you know how things are going.
Love, Alfie
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Last weekend I ran out the front door to see who Grandma was talking to and he came running after me and yelling - I don't know why he was so worried, I was just saying hello to some friend of his on the sidewalk, but he carried me home and told me I needed to work more on this 'come' thing. He mentioned those 'extra privileges' things again so I guess I should work harder so I can get them since they sound really neat.
Yesterday we were playing with my favorite toy and I took it to another room and pulled on it and stuff came out! I pulled out as much as I could just to see where it was coming from, but when Bill saw all the stuff he said I shouldn't have done that and that we would have to fix the toy. I thought I had it fixed pretty good, but he has these funny ideas about what is fun so I guess I'll humor him and not chew up my special toys (but they ARE mine!).
He takes me out in the morning to take care of business, then he leaves for the whole day - I don't like that, but I keep watch on the house and sleep in his chair until he comes home. So far I haven't had to bite any burglars or anything, but I'm pretty sure I kept a couple from breaking in - especially this one guy that comes on the porch every day and puts stuff in a little box by the door! I let him know that he better not come inside, and he doesn't so I know I'm getting the job done! I have a lot a responsibility when Bill is away, and while I wish he was here all the time, I know he can't be and it is up to me to take care of the house. I am really good all day, I don't chew stuff or anything, and we are both so happy when he comes home that I just don't know what to do. I wiggle all over and tell him 'hello' and lick his face and stuff, and then we go outside for a while. After I take care of business we come back in and play fetch and sometimes tug-o-war, and then he puts on this apron thing and goes down to the basement with some other dog. He lets me meet the other dogs, and I like all of them, but some of them are cranky and don't want to be nice, so I leave them alone and nap in his chair until he gets rid of them and comes back into the house. Then we play with my toys and I have dinner and stuff, then he works on the computer for a while. Later we watch some TV for a while ( I don't really watch, I just sit or sleep on his lap) and he gives me rubs. I like this part of the day the best, and he says that on the weekends it will be just like when I first got here - we can play and goof around all day long! If I understand it right, this 'weekend' thing starts tomorrow, so we will see how that goes. I am looking forward to being able to play with Sebastian at Grandma's house then. I get to see him everyday and stuff, but we don't usually have time to really play - but Bill says we will on the 'weekend'. I met the neighbors and their dog Missy, and I really like her - she told me we can play outside when it gets warm out. Bill told me that playing outside is lots more fun without a leash on, but that I had to learn to 'come' first before I can get that 'extra privilege' thingy. Anyway, I'm working on that real hard right now so I can play with Missy. Bill taught me how to give 'high-fives' and I learned that real quick, so this 'come' thing shouldn't be too hard. I just wish he wouldn't say it when I'm busy with other stuff!
Well, I guess I'd better close as it is just about time to go outside for the night. Then we go to bed and cuddle and I get rubs and stuff until I fall asleep.
I miss you, though things here are pretty good and I think it's gonna work out O.K. for both of us.
'Til next time,
Love, Alfie
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Well, where should I start? Oh, yeah, that 'weekend' thing finally got here and boy did we have fun! We went to Grandma's house every morning and the grownups had coffee and stuff and we dogs begged and begged for breakfast goodies! We only got our regular food and a couple of 'people cracker' cookies, but it was lots of fun. I got to go outside and play lots more than on regular days and I found lots of special smells to check out and even got to see that cute girl dog that lives next to Grandma! She is still talking about what fun we will have when Summer gets here and we can play together in the back yard. Bill says that we can play, but I still gotta learn that 'come' thing - we have been working on it and I can hear him say it now even when I am busy, but I don't always go running to him until I make him say it twice! He says I have selective deafness, but I don't really, I can hear him fine. Anyway, I do go running the second time he calls and before I made him call four or five times - he says I'm doing better so maybe by Summer I will just go running to him the first time he calls - he gives me treats and pats when I do, so I guess it will be worth it to humor him - plus, I REALLY want to be able to play with the girl dog! Anyway, we went shopping and to the bank (the nice lady there gave all of us dogs a treat!) and then back home. We got to play fetch a bunch - I was so tired I slept for hours!
The first day after the 'weekend' Bill came home in the middle of the day - boy was I surprised - and he took me outside (you know - for business purposes) and then he went back to work again. He told me it was his 'long day at work'. I wanted him to stay, but it was nice to see him and it didn't seem like too long until he was back home again and we had cuddles and rubs!
Yesterday I got up on Bill's desk and stole a chew bone he hid from me there. I wasn't supposed to have it and he took it away from me when he got home, but that is the only thing I have done wrong while he was away. Oh, yeah, and I did get in the trash bag while he was gathering up trash to put out, but he caught me before I got anything really good - guess I won't have a chance to do that again!
Mostly things are going really good here now - I am learning lots of stuff and Bill tells me I am a really good boy and that I can stay here as long as I want. I know he still misses his other dog, but I am trying to fill her shoes and I must be doing O.K. 'cause he treats me really nice and stuff and tells me I am 'his boy'. I like that 'cause when he says it he gives me a hug and lots of rubs! I do like it here more every day, even though I still miss you.
More later,
Love, Alfie
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Sorry it has taken me so long to write again, but things here have been really exciting what with summer and all.
As I am sure you will notice right away, the picture I used for my letter is really me! Bill got to borrow his brother's digital camera when he was here visiting over July 4th and took a whole bunch of pictures of me - don't tell anybody, but I think he really likes me! I did my best to be what he calls 'photogenic' but all I really did was look at him when he said my name and stuff - just like he is always wanting me to do anyway. Most of the time I was busy checking out stuff in the yard and watching for that darn squirrel that I hope to catch one day! I'll enclose a picture of me watching for him with this letter - I do that a lot just in case he is up there - I want him to know I'm watching his every move! He really drives me crazy! He will sit in the tree out back and just tease us dogs. Mark my words, though, one of these days we are gonna get him! I'm not sure, but I think he must have a twin brother 'cause I am almost sure I saw him in two different places in the yard at almost the same time. I can only chase him until I get to the end of my leash, though, 'cause I'm still in boot camp training. Sebastian and Honda keep after him when I can't though and I'm pretty sure one of us will get him eventually - then we'll see who chatters last!
At my last review, Bill told me that I was progressing pretty well with my basic training, but that we still had to work on my barking outside and my boundary training (whatever the heck that is - probably some dumb thing you have to learn to graduate but will never use again). But now that I think about it, he did say that it would allow me to chase the squirrel with the other dogs, and that would be a really good thing 'cause I'm pretty sure I can outrun both of them and make that squirrel into toast! Just so you know, I don't just bark for no reason, I only do it to let Bill know that there are potentially dangerous things outside in the yard that he should know about but isn't keen enough to know about 'cause he is a human and doesn't have my super powers of detection of danger. He thinks he knows it all (typical human if you ask me) and tells me to hush - but at least he gives me a treat or a pat and rubs when I do quiet down. One of these days I'm going to be telling him something really important and he is going to regret telling me to hush, 'cause it will be something he really needed to know, like the squirrel was gonna run from the maple tree to the pine tree - you know - really important stuff. But he just won't listen sometimes and then he'll miss the squirrel running and act like it was nothing special - I think he does that just so he won't be embarrassed that he didn't listen - humans hate taking advice from dogs.
Most of the time he listens to me, like when I want dinner or have to go out and stuff, so our communications are improving - maybe he will get out of boot camp when he gets as good at dog stuff as I am! He is always watching what I eat - probably 'cause he wants it - but he says it is so I don't have to have my stomach cut open again (right, like I'd ever let someone do that again!). He is really careful about this stuff he calls protein (I call it meat!) and so I don't get the same treats the other dogs do - that stinks! However, he did try to make it up to me by getting me this big brown box full of old dead cow bones! He brought them home from work and told me he special ordered them just for me, but I think they must have lost a patient or something. Anyway, they don't have any meat on them and he says they are a special bone that I can't chew up and get sick from, but even without meat on them they taste so good that I chew on them until I'm so tired I fall asleep sometimes! I love my bones and carry them all around the house so I have one in every room just in case I need something to eat before dinner. Sometimes he steps on them in the dark - you should hear him holler when that happens - it is really funny to see him hopping around on one foot - but he still lets me keep them wherever I want so I suppose he will just have to toughen up, wear shoes or better yet - be able to see in the dark like we dogs can!
After Bill got to use his brother's digital camera, he went and bought one to use with his computer. I thought, 'Geez, just what I need, something else to take up his time instead of playing with me!' But it turns out I'm his favorite subject for pictures - and as you know, I am a real ham when it comes to having my picture taken. Sebastian is kind of shy and won't pose like I do, and Honda just doesn't seem to care one way or the other - she's like that about most things except food. Anyway, I asked Bill if he could send you some pictures for me and he said that he would and that we could take more pictures and keep sending them with my letters. I can't wait for you to see some of the neat things we do!
Yesterday Bill went to the grocery for his Mom (grandma), and when he brought the groceries in he put them on the floor on the back porch while he did some other stuff. That ravenous Honda dog got into a bag and pulled out a whole loaf of bread - she rather undaintily ripped open the plastic and ate as much as she could hold! I didn't want her to get in trouble, so I ate the rest of the loaf and cleaned up as many crumbs as I could. It didn't work out though, 'cause Bill came back and found the bag and a few crumbs I missed. He acted all mad and stuff, but he was laughing most of the time so I don't think we're gonna get punished or anything. He knows I never mess with bags at home and he wouldn't have even known I was involved if he hadn't felt my big full belly! Dang! He said Honda had done this before with groceries in the car, so then I knew she was the prime suspect right away - if only it had been smaller or Honda had eaten more I never would have been caught! Anyway, we both had smiles on our faces for the rest of the day and even had room for dinner that night.
Well, I guess I had best close for this time and leave some room for those pictures. I will write again soon - hopefully sooner than this last time so I can send you new pictures!
Love,
Alfie
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Well, I sure don't know where to start with this letter 'cause so much has happened since my last writing.
I suppose I should go way back to Christmastime and the pictures I sent you. Bill took a whole bunch of pictures of me (and I hammed it up bigtime), and then he put them into his computer thing and worked on them until he said they were 'just right' and 'really special' and that they looked just like me. Duh, of course they did - it WAS me! Anyway, I don't understand what he did that took so long, but eventually he printed them out and said he was going to give them to you for Christmas. I know you got them 'cause he told me how you almost cried when you looked at them - and how you promised to put them in your living room. That helped me feel a little better - I didn't want you to cry, I just wanted you to know that I am really happy here and for you to see that in the pictures. Bill told me that they were 'happy' tears 'cause you missed me so much, and were glad to have me in the house again (sort of), and I kind of understand that 'cause I miss you too and think of you everytime I get to sit on someone's belly - just the way I used to with you!
I've done some bad things since I last wrote to you, and Bill has gotten really mad at me a couple times, but he always comes around when I put my head on his knee and give him the 'big brown-eyed stare' routine. It always worked on you, and he is a pushover too - but boy, can he get mad at me sometimes before I have a chance to use it. Once, during one of those weekend things, I got all out of routine with my outside trips and stuff and then one morning when Bill was sleeping longer than usual, I really had to go. I waited and waited, but he just didn't wake up, and then all of a sudden, I couldn't wait anymore and started to go right there in the bed! WOW, did he ever wake up fast then!!! He was pretty mad about it, but I gave him the 'look' and he ended up blaming himself, so I lucked out pretty well, but I don't think I'll wake him up like that again any time soon. I've gotten used to these weekend things better now and
make other plans for necessities - if you know what I mean.
Oooooh, I almost forgot to tell you - there is a CAT living in the building behind Bill's house! I don't know why it stays there, 'cause I run out there every time I go out and look inside the building real mean like, just to show it who is boss, but Bill makes me leave it alone. He is SO naïve sometimes I just want to bark at him until he gets it, but I don't think he ever will, and he won't let me bark anyway! Dang cat-lover! Well, it's not like he ever brings it in the house or anything, he just says it has to live too, and he even gives it food that I could be eating instead. I don't think I will EVER understand him. I mean, how can anyone even look at a CAT and not want to chase it? Just doesn't make sense to me. Heck, why should I expect him to, he doesn't even chase squirrels - how lame is that?
I got to know that girl dog next door a little better, but she is just a tease. She doesn't really want to play like she said, she just acts like she does and then goes back home where I can't follow her and sits there teasing me. She's probably too old for me anyway and besides, I have a new girlfriend. She comes to Grandma's house every other week to see me. While we are visiting, she cleans stuff for Grandma - I don't like that much 'cause it takes away from our time together, but I don't want to upset Grandma. She brings me a biscuit every time she comes - and no, that isn't the only reason I like her - she gives me rubs and pats and even has a special name for me like most girlfriends do for their boyfriends. She calls me "Alfie-doodle" and says it is " 'cause I'm such a 'noodle'." I don't know what that means, but it must be good 'cause she says it a lot and it makes me wiggle all over when she says it.
Well, I'd better go for now, I have lots more to tell you (guess I maybe forgot some of the bad stuff this time. . . ), but I am out of paper and it is time to go outside! Bill said that was just too convenient, but it really is true! Really! I promise to write again real soon, and Bill said we would come to visit you this summer. I can't wait to water all my favorite spots at my old home!
Love,
Alfie
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I think this is the hardest letter I will ever have to write. I'm sorry I waited so long to write again, but Bill was not up to helping me. He was sooo busy with his job and helping Grandma get around, and was just too tired to help me write. I know he felt guilty about putting it off, because he promised and promised to help and just never seemed to find the time. I know he made lots of notes for me, 'cause I was forever doing things I shouldn't have been, like sneaking out the gate and going exploring down the block or over to the next street. I guess I gave Grandma fits, since she couldn't come after me, but someone always gave me a 'lift' back home and after getting chewed out by Grandma and Bill, they'd soon 'chill out' and I'd be getting pats and treats again.
But around the end of April (2003) Bill got sick and felt really bad. He went to the doctor and they found something was wrong inside and making him 'jaundiced', I think they called it, and he had to go for more tests. The doctors did something and pretty soon he felt better and his yellow color started to go away. He was able to eat things he liked again, but he still had to go to the doctor a lot.
Then came the awful news. Bill was sick with something called 'cancer' and it was in his pancreas, which everyone said was really bad. I felt so terrible for him, but he kept right on taking care of Grandma and his garden and everything and he seemed to be OK again. He had to start going somewhere for something called 'chemo' which didn't sound like fun at all. After he had a treatment, he would start to hurt all over and by the time he began to feel better, it was time to go for another treatment. He still had time for me, though, and would give me rubs and treats, but I worried about him. He'd tell me not to worry so much, but even though I tried to hide it, I just couldn't stop worrying about him 'cause I loved him so much. He started staying at Grandma's so he didn't have as far to go to help her, but his old computer was at his house and he missed being able to use it. Then he got a new laptop computer and was sooo happy about being able to 'surf the net' and write email to his friends again! And he was going to help me write again, too, but the doctor visits and the discomfort just kept getting in the way. But I was all wiggles 'cause he was so happy with his new computer.
In the middle of October (2003) he had to go to the hospital (the one for humans, not the one for animals where he had worked as a veterinary technician) for a treatment. While he was there, on October 22, something happened called a stroke. He came home, but something was not right anymore. He didn't talk to me like before and when he scratched me, it was just a little bit on my head. I knew he loved me and just wasn't able to do more even though he wanted to. I loved him so much, but I didn't know what to do. I guess it showed, because everybody was saying how sad I looked. Lots of people came to visit and Bill's brother, Mike, and sister-in-law, Pacy, came to stay for a few days. Everybody seemed so sad and concerned for my Bill.
Then, early in the morning of October 30, while I was sleeping on the couch across the room from Bill's bed, a wondrous thing happened. I woke up and saw several beautiful angels standing next to Bill's bed. I'm pretty sure I was awake, but I was so awed by the sight that I forgot to bark! One angel took Bill's hand and Bill began to give off a soft light. Then he stood up by the bed! He looked so young and healthy again and he was smiling! He looked over at me and waved and then he and the angels faded away. I blinked a few times and looked again and Bill seemed to still be lying there asleep.
In the morning, Grandma came out and couldn't wake Bill up. She was so sad. She called some people who came and took Bill away. That was the last time I saw my beloved Bill, but I know he is OK now in Heaven, because I was there when the angels came. He will wait for me at the Rainbow Bridge and we will be together again someday, but for now he is with Maggie and Heather and Muffy and Boots and Skipper and Tabby and even Stormy and all the animals he loved and cared for at the clinic who have passed on. What a joyous reunion that must be! I'm enclosing a copy of the Rainbow Bridge poem Bill found on the internet and fixed up.
Lots and lots and lots of people came to see Bill at his funeral, as he had touched so many lives with his love and caring. Grandma and Mike and Pacy were very sad, but they were also so very proud of Bill and all the things he had done. But I want you to know, Mom, no one was prouder or loved Bill more than me!
I don't want to leave Grandma, but the family wants me to go to another home with a dentist guy who will take me travelling in the car and things I couldn't do if I stayed with Grandma. He's going to send me to school to learn some 'obedience' stuff... I'm not exactly sure what that is, but I think it might be like 'boot camp', except I'll get a diploma maybe! They don't want me to sit at home and become something called a 'fuddy-duddy'! I'll never forget Bill, 'cause nobody could ever replace him, but this is what he would want me to do. Maybe, if the dentist guy or someone will help me write again, I will be able to tell you about my new home! Wouldn't that be great?!
Love,
Alfie
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Dear Mom,
Dear Mom,
Rainbow Bridge