For a Dear Friend

Though my heart is currently in pieces
I feel it is so important to honor
a very dear furry friend, my best furry friend,
Sergio Muffin.























I don't know what Serg was breed wise, but he
was one of the cutest dogs you'd ever see, and had an
extraordinary personality to match.
His history is unknown,
(though the bf and I had fun making up
his past for him: record producer, ex member of
different bands, writer, dancer, bouncer-we liked to think
that he did just about everything before retiring with us)
anyway-he was found wandering around Bay Ridge and
was brought to the BARC shelter
in March of 2008.


















I met him one month later when I decided to become
a volunteer dog walker.
I had asked for a smaller dog and Serg is what they
gave me. He was slow moving, seemingly depressed-
like a little old man. We would take our very slow walks,
then I would bring him back and give him lovies and treats.

Then one day, maybe 2 months later, I took Serg outside
and he started to run. I cried because I thought he was just
and old man, incapable of running. But we ran. all the way
to the Grand Street park on the waterfront in Wburg.
I would let him off of the leash and we would run around,
he would chase me and then we would sit by the water.
He was a completely different dog after that.


















I began to visit Sergie more and more, about 5-6 times a week to
be exact. I even took the bf to meet Sergie and he took to him right
away which was funny, because he really didn't take to men easily.
That October the bf and I adopted Serg, and moved him in with
us- to our new Sunnyside home. It was an adjustment for all of us,
but everything clicked and Serg became part of our family.


































I can't even begin to convey what a character Sergio was.
So lively and curious, very loyal (the man followed me everywhere)
and wild. Sometimes he just liked to run-last summer he apparently
went on a crazy running spree in my parents backyard where he
jumped off of this little stone wall that's back there and just kept
going all through the bushes and up and down the yard. My parents
had never seen anything like it!

















I'm pretty sure that one of the happiest times in Sergie's life
was from last April-October. He began to get this little spring in his
step, stopped showing his teeth to people (he was a bit of a bully), and
just really seemed to be enjoying life. I believe that he finally felt
like he had a solid home and finally let those old hang ups go.
We would take really long walks, longer than what you think a
13 year old dog might take, and just have fun exploring the
neighborhood. He became a lot friendlier with my family,
and has always been nice to my nephew Joelie. He would even
go on less of an attack when people came to visit us.
He was a changed man, and it felt good to see that
transformation.



































Unfortunately, Sergie had come with a laundry list of health problems,
but we managed them the best we could. This winter, just got to
be too much when old age collided with all the pre-existing problems.
It became time for us to make a decision, the right decision for our
dear friend. So while my heart is half in pieces, the other half
just wants to celebrate the fact that Sergio's story had a very
happy ending. He left this world with people that truly loved him
and a place that he could call home.






















I love you Sergio Muffin<3