Angel Ricochet

[ChiliDog]

In Memory of Ricochet (DG’s SlingShot) Dec. 21, 1999 – November 24, 2004

 

After 4 short months of being with us Ricochet was taken away by that horrid disease -osteo. We had brought him to the veterinary hospital that was about 1-1/2 hours away from us and had stayed with him all day. We left with a promise to return the next day but got a call from the vet in charge just as we were arriving home that Rikky took a turn for the worse and the pain meds were not working. We asked that he be released from his pain even though we could not be there with him (we didn't want him to have to wait a second longer).

Ricochet's legacy was to instill in us a tremendous love and respect for greyhounds. It allows us to promote Greyhounds and GH adoption.

Run free, Sweetie. Momma loves you.

 

"Ricochet's Tail"

 

July 17, 2004

 

The light… the beautiful light…

 

That’s the first thing that I see as I emerge from the truck. There are the other dogs I trucked in with. We’re all happy to be out of there … and a bit nervous. Where are we? This doesn’t look or smell like a racetrack.

There are people here, too. Everyone feels happy. I wonder what’s going on? I’d better keep quiet lest someone realizes they made a mistake and I’m not supposed to be here….

Ooh! Someone grabbed me, but a nice grab, around my neck. Now they’re squeezing me, and stroking my head – it feels nice but strange. Eew – now they’re making my nose wet with little bites but not bites – just lips no teeth. Hm, I’m going to stand very still, because if I move maybe they’ll stop.

FOOD! – I see food in a dish – I’d better fill up, don’t know when my next meal will be. Hey, wait! I’m not finished, there’s still food left. Take me back there – oooh nice water, yummy. OK I guess I’ll relax a bit. Here comes some more of that squeezing. I’m beginning to see a pattern. Stand still, get that nice squeezing. Maybe this is Heaven? Oh no – don’t think so, going back into a truck. Not the same truck, but a truck none the less. I’ll pretend that I can’t jump up there – maybe they’ll leave me here. OOF – that big guy pushed my rump into the truck. Well it’s kind of OK back here – there’s a soft blanket. OK, I’ll lie down and see where we go. Now it’s dark and clammy – I wonder where we are? The door opens and I jump out. Now these people are walking me to a small box. They come into the box with me so I don’t feel so afraid, but I am trembling a bit. That lady puts her arms around me and squeezes again and whispers some human-speak into my ear. Have no clue what she’s saying but it’s comforting all the same. Whoosh – I feel the floor dropping away, but the floor is still there. Strange. Then the box opens and it’s magic! I’m somewhere else! Uh-oh –those people are putting the muzzle on me. Am I going to race here in the sky? They open a door and I see a small white furry thing on the floor. YoW! The furry thing snarled at me. Hmm can’t be a rabbit – they NEVER talked back. Oh here’s another furry thing – sort of the same color as me. Oh oh oh – this one has sharp feet. Remind me never to get too close to these creatures. Ahhh more squeezing and soothing words. Did I look nervous? I’m going to have to remember that look, look here are my big brown eyes – squeeze me, yes… yes… yumm!

 

August 17, 2004

Boy – what a greenhorn I was. Now I’m an expert. I’m here to stay. I’m “retired” – that means I’m never going back to that track. At least that’s what Mom & Dad tell me, and I believe them! Those furry things – they’re called “cats”. I don’t have to like them but we tolerate each other. That magic box is an elevator. I still don’t know how it works, but I do know that Mom gets all flustered when I try to pee in there. Haha – sometime I make a pee movement just to see how she reacts! But I’m away from those cats and that elevator for now. Dad tells me I’m on “vacation in the country” whatever that means. All I know is that there’s this big house with a bunch of skinny floors that lead to other large floors. Mom calls them stairs but they don’t have any eyes so how can they stare at anything? This human-speak can be confusing. I do know 3 words; Ricochet – that’s my going out name, Rikky – that my house name, and Cookie – that’s my name when I get those little yummy treats. My friend Coast came to visit one day and we shared my blankie and lazed around. He had to wear a t-shirt because he had some bug bites on him and, naturally, I had to have a t-shirt tried on me, too… <sigh>. Then my friend Magnum came for dinner. Sheesh – no manners. Marked up the whole house. I got him back though – I peed on his blankie. Mom had to rush it off to wash it. Haha! Dad was laughing. Then Magnum and I became friends and ended up eating a rawhide together.

 

September 12, 2004

Ooh – I’m getting all dressed up for the Greyhound Picnic. I wonder what a picnic is. Uncle Emanuel is coming with us.I love Uncle Emanuel – he’s so gentle with me and he can pat me for hours (and I let him!! Haha). WoW – it’s a big greyhound party!! There’s tons of us here and tons of people. I’m very nervous. Dad’s putting on that muzzle thing again. Oh I don’t like it. Uh-oh now Dad’s taking off the leash. Mom & Dad are looking at me expectantly – what am I supposed to do? They walk away – I follow them. They sit down – I lie down. I see all the other dogs running around but I’m retired – I don’t have to run anymore, do I? I must have looked miserable so Mom came and put the leash back on and took off the muzzle. Why don’t they understand that I want to be with them – not with other dogs. I was with other dogs all my life. Time to be with my people!

 

 

October 13, 2004

Almost every morning we all go downstairs and there’s this car waiting in front of the house. Mom opens the door and it’s Auntie Arlene! And Auntie Arlene always has a cookie for me. (Actually she always has 2 cookies for me – but don’t tell anyone). Then – as if that isn’t special enough, every afternoon when Dad takes me for my walk here comes Auntie Arlene again – with – MORE cookies!! Oh yeah – and she also drops Mom off…. I ignore Mom because Auntie Arlene has cookies but I think Mom understands. Auntie Arlene also bought me my beautiful grey sweater, that I love to wear because it’s so cozy!

 

October 31, 2004

Mom & Dad have put these silly things on my head and are laughing. It’s my Halloween “costume”. I don’t like costume, I feel foolish and everyone is going to laugh at me. Uncle Pierre & Coast came over last week and they saw me in costume. They laughed – especially Coast. But then Coast had to put on his T-shirt so I got the last laugh. Mom took me for a walk in the park and we got to see the “Halloween decorations”. Just looked like more places to pee on to me…

 

November 19, 2004

BRRR – it’s cold! But I’m toasty warm in my raincoat. When it’s a little colder Dad puts on my sweater and my raincoat. I hear that I’m getting a “winter coat” What’s winter? They talk about snow. What’s snow? I hope I like it. Mom tried some feet things on me – eew – my feet don’t like to be stuffed into things.

 

November 22, 2004

It’s my nighttime walk and I feel funny. My legs feel wobbly and I have a pain in my back. Mom is looking at me and getting nervous. She’s patting me all over to see if I have pain. I don’t want her to be mad at me so I won’t tell her I have pain. I’ll just lick her nose.

 

November 23 - 24, 2004

I have a lot of pain. I can’t seem to stand up. Mom is very nervous. Dad is very nervous. Mom is running around shouting at Dad. She leaves. Dad carries me to the car and we go to the doctor. The doctor sticks something up my butt. I try to bite him. I didn’t mean it, but he hurt me. He talks to Dad. We bundle off to the car. We stop. I hear Mom’s voice. I can’t get up to see her. We zoom away. We stop, finally, and people put me on a hard cold metal thing. They take me away. They poke, they prod. It hurts, and then it hurts more. I stand up a bit and I see Mom and Dad. The hug me they kiss me. The doctor says something about a cat scan – I don’t want to be looked at by any cat. I’m scared. They give me a shot – I feel better – the pain is going away. I’m sleeping now. I wake up – suddenly. No Mom, no Dad. I’m scared. The doctor is there – she comforts me. She says she is going to help me. She tells me that Mom and Dad sent me kisses and squeezes. She kisses me and squeezes me for them. Then she kisses me and squeezes me for herself. I feel very loved by everyone. She gives me a shot. The pain goes away…

 

The light… the beautiful light…

 

Ricochet

 

 

 

With his Uncle Emanuel

 

[CaliforniaGreys]

[Patsy]

I, too, can't believe it's been four years. Your touching memorial remains a testament to what you all shared.

[Guest Kitty_cat]

:weep Oh what a sad, but beautiful story. It doesn't take long for them to touch us deeply...

Run free Ricochet

[MerlinsMum]

Oh Donna :(

 

:grouphug

 

He was so beautiful. Life is so unfair sometimes. But Ricochet lives on - in all the wonderful work that you and Klaus do for greyhounds.

[Fiona3]

Such a beautiful story and tribute. He was a lovely, sweet boy and you clearly came to love him deeply in the short time he was with you. Ricochet's legacy will live on and he will always be remembered fondly.

 

 

 

[MarcR]

[Guest ss556]

What a beautiful grey:(

[ChiliDog]

It's funny - you think you'll have such a long time with them and then out of the blue after 4 months - gone!

The biggest regret I have is that we did KNOT take enough pictures of him, which is why I now have kabillions of Logan & Joe and we're working on Greta

 

 

Thanks everybody

[Guest greyt2love]

What a gorgeous boy he was ! I wasn't here to know his story, Donna, evne though I knew you had lost him. Thanks for posting it, it was lovely to read. What a road he sent you and Klaus down, and how many greys have benefited since then !!

Bless you for him, and for all you do now !

 

Deb

[Jackandgrey]

That's just too hard right now. He was so beautiful.

[ChiliDog]

What a gorgeous boy he was ! I wasn't here to know his story, Donna, evne though I knew you had lost him. Thanks for posting it, it was lovely to read. What a road he sent you and Klaus down, and how many greys have benefited since then !!

Bless you for him, and for all you do now !

 

Deb

 

Interestingly enough although I had registered for GT around the time we got Rikky I had *never* posted.

 

Ricochet's Tail was my very first GT post

 

 

[4greyhounds]

[Batmom]

I remember.

 

Sending hugs.

[Guest Pipi5]

[patricia]

Remembering with you.

[Charlies_Dad]

Wow, he sounded like a sweet boy and only just beginning to understand the love that he deserved. I am sorry he left so young.

[grey14me]