Although I have just lost my girl I still wanted to reflect on how she came to be a part of our life and how fate played
such a huge role all those years ago.
I was 18 years old and just moved out with my then boyfriend who is now my Husband. I was young, we lived in a Unit and I always loved animals but my parents although they loved them too, never loved them enough to actually have them. We had a bird growing up and he was gorgeous. I miss him a lot too.
(maybe he needs his own tribute!!).
Anyway, we had been living in this house about 7 months and every Saturday I would go to the local Market to buy fresh produce. It was an indoor Market and had variety stores also. I had no intentions of getting an animal at all but as I was walking past the Pet Shop after buying food I saw a sign saying “FREE DOGS”. All of these people were picking up the dogs like they were lollies … the “free” part was just too tempting for some people and I worried about the future
for these animals.
I went to the public phone and rang Glenn and told him there were these really cute dogs and asked if we should we get one. He said yes. I went back to have another look and a think, then went and rang him again … “are you sure?”. I was worried because of our living conditions and knew that a dog is for life not just for Christmas! We were moving in 3 months so I figured we could make do while she was little and by the time she needed the space to run and play we would be living
in a house with a big yard.
I went back and saw the 2nd last dog being “bundled” into a shopping trolley. I was horrified and decided I was having the black one. I ran to the counter and told the lady I wanted the black dog before anyone else. So in a box she was and off home I went. She was really scared and wet in the box. I felt so terrible for her. Once we got home after lots of cuddles and kisses, out came the Atlas for a unique name and
then she was christened “CAIRO”.
Glenn and I are both dog lovers, just as crazy as each other … well this dog started off being our “pet” (for the first 5 minutes!) and within no time at all she was sleeping in our bed (under the covers), living in the house, going in the car with us, visiting Nanna for babysitting, running around the block with Dad, going shopping, going on family vacations, ripping up the carpet, digging out pot plants on the carpet, and generally causing chaos BUT SHE just became our instant BABY and we loved her so much.
We took her everywhere and she really was so good and very intelligent. She was only 8 weeks old … THAT DOG HAS NEVER EVER done a pooh in the house, not even as a puppy. She did some puddles
but always on the newspaper.
Over the years I have often wondered what became of her brothers and sisters and hope they had the life Cairo did. I will never forget the people with their shopping trolley putting the dog
in like it was a grocery item.
So we moved house, went to Puppy School and the rest is history. She lived with us ever since. We had some good and bad times – she was and is a part of our family. She IS our family!
These past few days since her death I have been reflecting on the day I got her all those years ago. What if I’d been an hour later shopping, What if when I was procrastinating someone else took her. What if I didn’t go to the Market that day. What if I didn’t walk down that Aisle where the dogs were, … I cant imagine the “what ifs”. FATE played an amazing roll on that day and here
we are all these years later.
My neighbour told me yesterday “Better to of loved and lost than to of not loved at all” and although I’ve heard that saying many times, to relate it to the loss of Cairo puts it all into perspective… if I had to go through all this again, I’d do it 100 times over.
A life without Cairo I cannot imagine and I feel so blessed and special that FATE worked for me on that day 13 years ago.
Cairo’s Tribute:
https://www.in-memory-of-pets.com/personaltribute.asp?ID=29802
I LOVE YOU CAIRO,
| Michelle L |