Requiem for Rudy
When the Price You Pay is Your Happiness40 total reviews
Comment from Senyai
Hi Jay,
I love this. We have had several "Rudys" in our time. That small vulnerable lump sitting atop the broken down cardboard boxes in the dumpster behind the 7-11 got me too. Your last lines brought it home for me (literally) :-)
You are a very gifted writer, descriptive and humorous in your presentation. Perfect description of a lost Rudy in all his halitosis and different pee stations about the house, that literally changed your lives forever as well as disrupting your daily routines.
Ahh, pets we gotta love them, or grin and bare them, or tolerate on some level out of our understated humanity. For whatever the circumstances, we find ourselves the appointed guardians of these little beings. I felt your pain.
Absolutely enjoyable written by (did I say gifted?) a very gifted story teller.
All the best,
Senyai
reply by the author on 07-Jun-2021
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Hi Jay,
I love this. We have had several "Rudys" in our time. That small vulnerable lump sitting atop the broken down cardboard boxes in the dumpster behind the 7-11 got me too. Your last lines brought it home for me (literally) :-)
You are a very gifted writer, descriptive and humorous in your presentation. Perfect description of a lost Rudy in all his halitosis and different pee stations about the house, that literally changed your lives forever as well as disrupting your daily routines.
Ahh, pets we gotta love them, or grin and bare them, or tolerate on some level out of our understated humanity. For whatever the circumstances, we find ourselves the appointed guardians of these little beings. I felt your pain.
Absolutely enjoyable written by (did I say gifted?) a very gifted story teller.
All the best,
Senyai
Comment Written 06-Jun-2021
reply by the author on 07-Jun-2021
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Thank you so much, Senyai. At 7 AM when I face those keys, gifted is not the adjective that comes to mind. Yes, Rudy was not my finest hour. Thanks for your compassion, though. And the lovely, glorious stars!
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Jay, you are very welcome... I am into Cornelius the Genius from Part 1-7. Stay tuned ...
Comment from Jasmine Girl
What a moving story about a dog. It's nice that you decide to adopt this dog whom no one wanted. He was smelly, dirty and peed everywhere. Yack. But he died after two years with you because he was old. He had his last two happies years. It's too bad you have to throw him into a garbage can behind your office. He might wake up one day and ran into you in the strip mall parking lot. I'm glad he didn't.
It's a quirky and fun story.
Exceptionally done.
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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What a moving story about a dog. It's nice that you decide to adopt this dog whom no one wanted. He was smelly, dirty and peed everywhere. Yack. But he died after two years with you because he was old. He had his last two happies years. It's too bad you have to throw him into a garbage can behind your office. He might wake up one day and ran into you in the strip mall parking lot. I'm glad he didn't.
It's a quirky and fun story.
Exceptionally done.
Comment Written 07-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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Thank you so much, Lisa. Your kind words mean a lot to me. the six was a bonus!
Comment from lancellot
Hmm, very interesting writing. You show how anything normal thing can be made into an engaging and well written story or journey, I should say. You did well of bringing us through a period of time with you and Rudy. Good job of creating a conversational tone and breaking... I guess it would be the 5th wall, since this is a 1st person tale.
Like a writing class and the Professor demonstrating how it should be.
Teach on!
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Hmm, very interesting writing. You show how anything normal thing can be made into an engaging and well written story or journey, I should say. You did well of bringing us through a period of time with you and Rudy. Good job of creating a conversational tone and breaking... I guess it would be the 5th wall, since this is a 1st person tale.
Like a writing class and the Professor demonstrating how it should be.
Teach on!
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Oh, no, my friend. I learn so much from you as well. When one is looking to grow, there are plenty of teachers out there. But thank you for your kind words, Lance, and for the six stars.
Comment from Father Flaps
Hi Jay,
Our pets, eh? They are really just extra kids. This is well-written, and heart-wrenching. It made me think of our many pets. We have 6 small boxes of ashes in one of our curio cabinets ... 3 of dogs (Annie, Willie, and Gracie... all cairn terriers) and 3 of cats (Max, Louie, and Roger the Maine Coon). We had tp put them all down at the vet's, and it was sooo difficult! They go back almost 32 years to when I was 38 years old and we picked out Annie, our first Cairn, in Harvey Station.
As I neared the end of the story, it was looking like you were going to leave poor old Rudy in that dumpster, laying on corrugated cardboard. But then came your last line, "I turned off the engine and I opened the door." It's a story with no ending, or (I guess) one that the reader finishes himself/herself. I won't say how I see the "tail" end, just in case it ends some other way.
So many pets become strays today, and end up euthanized without a thing wrong with them. It's such a shame. But at least you can feel good that you gave him a home for the remainder of his life, sticking it out while he relieved himself in every corner of your house.
Well done! You are a prolific writer, and deserve my last six!
Cheers,
Kimbob
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Hi Jay,
Our pets, eh? They are really just extra kids. This is well-written, and heart-wrenching. It made me think of our many pets. We have 6 small boxes of ashes in one of our curio cabinets ... 3 of dogs (Annie, Willie, and Gracie... all cairn terriers) and 3 of cats (Max, Louie, and Roger the Maine Coon). We had tp put them all down at the vet's, and it was sooo difficult! They go back almost 32 years to when I was 38 years old and we picked out Annie, our first Cairn, in Harvey Station.
As I neared the end of the story, it was looking like you were going to leave poor old Rudy in that dumpster, laying on corrugated cardboard. But then came your last line, "I turned off the engine and I opened the door." It's a story with no ending, or (I guess) one that the reader finishes himself/herself. I won't say how I see the "tail" end, just in case it ends some other way.
So many pets become strays today, and end up euthanized without a thing wrong with them. It's such a shame. But at least you can feel good that you gave him a home for the remainder of his life, sticking it out while he relieved himself in every corner of your house.
Well done! You are a prolific writer, and deserve my last six!
Cheers,
Kimbob
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Ah, man, Kimbob. Are you trying to make this old dude cry? Thanks for your kindness. You are an example for all of us. We were poor as church mice back then or I probably would have taken the better way out ... which would have been to pay the hundred bucks or so for the cremation. Thanks, my friend for the six.
Comment from blondie560
I throughly loved your story. Poor Rudy sounds like he went through a lot during his life on earth. I commend you and your wife for keeping Rudy after you discovered his bathroom habits. I had a cat once that had terribly rotten teeth and the smell was as you described. The cat was only 1 year old so we had all but four of his teeth pulled. He still can eat dry food so he must not have missed them. The vet said he was out of pain. I hope you know that you gave Rudy in the last two years of his life, care, food shelter and love that he may not have had considering how he was disposed of to begin with.
I'm hoping your house has recovered from Rudy-odor. The smell is gone but the memories remain.
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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I throughly loved your story. Poor Rudy sounds like he went through a lot during his life on earth. I commend you and your wife for keeping Rudy after you discovered his bathroom habits. I had a cat once that had terribly rotten teeth and the smell was as you described. The cat was only 1 year old so we had all but four of his teeth pulled. He still can eat dry food so he must not have missed them. The vet said he was out of pain. I hope you know that you gave Rudy in the last two years of his life, care, food shelter and love that he may not have had considering how he was disposed of to begin with.
I'm hoping your house has recovered from Rudy-odor. The smell is gone but the memories remain.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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The smell is definitely gone. We ended up tiling all the rooms to which he had access (we could close off the bathroom and bedrooms), so it was an improvement over carpet cleaning. Thank you so much, Blondie, for your kind words and the Six stars.
Comment from Leann DS
You get six stars for me, for any story that can make me cry like this must be worth it. Dammit. I can relate. I never did exactly what you did, but I have not loved an animal as much as it deserve to be loved, and that alone has given me guilt in my life. Your story was well written and kept me engaged from the first word to the last. I did not notice any type a graphical errors, and I'm still crying.
Do not get me wrong... No judgment from me. Thank you for sharing this. Hugs and blessings to you. RIP Rudy.
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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You get six stars for me, for any story that can make me cry like this must be worth it. Dammit. I can relate. I never did exactly what you did, but I have not loved an animal as much as it deserve to be loved, and that alone has given me guilt in my life. Your story was well written and kept me engaged from the first word to the last. I did not notice any type a graphical errors, and I'm still crying.
Do not get me wrong... No judgment from me. Thank you for sharing this. Hugs and blessings to you. RIP Rudy.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Oh, my goodness, Leann. Please don't think me a sadist, but I just love it when someone says I made her (or even him) cry. It means I connected (like Ali's uppercut), and I caught you right in the heart. You're a writer; you know what that means. But it also means we need to bear responsibility for our words. They can heal or they can cut deeply.
Hear me preach!
Thank you so much, Leann. Your review means the world to me.
Comment from RPSaxena
Hello Jay Squires,
Nice piece of Biographical Non-Fiction having lucid as well as perfectly matching the theme phraseology, captivating flow ALMOST throughout from the beginning to the end, and beautifully depicting its theme.
ALMOST here refers to my feeling which I had and was thinking of awarding '5 Stars', but soon I noticed "I realize, as I'm sure the reader fully realizes, that I am stretching this story out."
At once your 'REMARKABLE 6th sense as a writer' changed my outlook, and lo! The result is SIX STARS.
Interesting as well as Educative having a MORAL for the writers.
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Hello Jay Squires,
Nice piece of Biographical Non-Fiction having lucid as well as perfectly matching the theme phraseology, captivating flow ALMOST throughout from the beginning to the end, and beautifully depicting its theme.
ALMOST here refers to my feeling which I had and was thinking of awarding '5 Stars', but soon I noticed "I realize, as I'm sure the reader fully realizes, that I am stretching this story out."
At once your 'REMARKABLE 6th sense as a writer' changed my outlook, and lo! The result is SIX STARS.
Interesting as well as Educative having a MORAL for the writers.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Such beautiful use of your thought processes from someone who I would guess is a dog lover. Thank you so much for your 6 stars, RP. I appreciate them, especially after your explantaion.
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Jay Squires, Most Welcome!
With best wishes,
~ RP
Comment from Seshadri_Sreenivasan
Dogs are adorable animals and your story speaks more about yourself than the dog and his breath. I have omitted the adjective! Well as a lover of a dog, you are not complete unless and until you are covered by his hair and have his smell all over your body. I like this very well-written story. Thanks for sharing!
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2021
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Dogs are adorable animals and your story speaks more about yourself than the dog and his breath. I have omitted the adjective! Well as a lover of a dog, you are not complete unless and until you are covered by his hair and have his smell all over your body. I like this very well-written story. Thanks for sharing!
Comment Written 05-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2021
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Your review sounds almost like a meditation practice. I feel like you read my story from a position of knowing, wisdom and compassion. Thank you for reading it.
Comment from F. William Lester
Wow. I understand the breath issue, having had several dogs over the years. The abuse of the animal turns my stomach. Nice of you to put up with it until the end. And...yes...I would not have left it in the dumpster either. Enjoyed the story. Thanks for the read. Stay well.
reply by the author on 04-Mar-2021
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Wow. I understand the breath issue, having had several dogs over the years. The abuse of the animal turns my stomach. Nice of you to put up with it until the end. And...yes...I would not have left it in the dumpster either. Enjoyed the story. Thanks for the read. Stay well.
Comment Written 04-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 04-Mar-2021
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Thank you so much for your kind words and the stars.
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You're welcome
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
This is so good and so amusing and so much the work of an excellent writer. There surely is a market for this because it is so good. Best of luck finding a paying home for this.
reply by the author on 04-Mar-2021
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This is so good and so amusing and so much the work of an excellent writer. There surely is a market for this because it is so good. Best of luck finding a paying home for this.
Comment Written 04-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 04-Mar-2021
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Your six and your kind words are payment enough for this. Thank you so much, Carol.