For those of you who really know me; many of you know that I have been living alone with only my little dog Buckshot who I gave a great deal of my attention to.
This past weekend Aug 04, 2007 after returning home, I noticed Buckshot was not barking for me to let him inside the house to play; my heart stopped and I knew something was not right.
I raced to where my little Buckshot would be and found him laid out on the grass a sleep forever. The only thought that went through my mind is that the sun had did him in and I blamed myself, it is the first time I have cried in over 10 years.
I took him to my Lost Lake and buried him in the shade and said a small prayer; thanking the Lord for letting us enjoy each other for the past 3 years; Buckshot helped me more than I could ever know.
Sunday, I walked to where I found him and tortured myself for allowing this to happen but then I did what I am good at. I being an investigation into how my Buckshot truly died; see I had planned out every detail about where and how far his cable could go, even the shade trees to help keep him out of the sun, even the extra water bowl.
After carefully taking all variables in I figured out what had happened; Buckshot did not die due to the heat or sun. He was in shade and had water within reach, so what happened?
I saw where Buckshot had been running and playing in the grass and remembered something I saw on him when I carefully washed him before burial. Buckshot had blood coming from one of his tentacles which was very swollen and there appeared to be marking of a Vampire bite on his neck which I though came from his collar; then I remembered my son finding a small Cooper Head snake (very dangerous) and killing it some days before and warning him about how these snakes stay in the temperature controlled high grass and there venom can kill a full grown man in 30 minutes.
I now believe Buckshot found such a snake and started to play with it and was bitten and the heat caused his little heart to race acting as a super highway for the venom to flow. Buckshot would not had a chance, not knowing that something so pretty and funny looking was about to take his fun away forever.
My friends who have meet Buckshot found him to be a true friend, loving, very playful, kind with a wit all his own. It was Buckshot that allowed me to love again and open my eyes when he left, Buckshot’s death taught me more than when he was alive; that I do care.
Never torture yourself or you will become lost.
