The Truth About Buford

Shortly before I turned 13 my sister came home for the weekend from College. She wasn't at home long before the doorbell rang - it was our neighbor. Before he said anything she noticed the gun he was holding to my dog, Buford's head. "Keep your dog away from my horses or this is what's going to happen to him."

The night before I turned 13 I heard a gunshot coming from my neighbor's house. This wasn't unusual except for the fact that I never saw Buford again. Over Thanksgiving dinner I found out the truth about Buford...

Let me just pause here and say how much I adored Buford. He was my pride and joy - he seemed to be a mix of Shepherd, Lab and adorable mutt. I spent hours with him outside playing fetch and teaching him other tricks. Now for a little girl who had no cable TV, siblings away at college and friends too far for walking distance - Buford was a dream. *sigh* But he loved to chase the neighbor's horses along the fence. I'm certain in Buford's head this was just a fun game since they would run along the fence with him. Back and forth for hours while Buford barked the whole time.

So for years I've been haunted by the mystery of Buford's disappearance. Was he buried just next door? Was it a quick death? How long would he have lived - been mine? It's not fair to compare dogs to Buford that I'd had gotten since his disappearance. But when something is taken away from you prematurely you can't help but compare. (I'm sorry for saying that Mattie, RIP).

So over Thanksgiving dinner somehow we start talking about Buford and my Dad casually asked me if he ever told me what he found out from our other neighbor. "Noo....what happened to Buford? He wasn't shot?" Turns out my gun-loving neighbors had some dog-loving friends that lived in the country and saw Buford as a good-looking dog. So. They took him. Buford didn't die and the horses were never barked at again since that day. I had spent my whole 13th birthday in mourning not knowing that at the same time Buford was getting used to a new home.
So Buford. I hope they treated you well. Now my mind is drifting to many other questions now that the truth has come out.

Hmmm...see what happens when I listen to too much Tori Amos? But really - 1000 Oceans tugs at my heart so much!

So to end on another optimistic note below is a picture of my nephews below on Thanksgiving. How stinking cute! Josh and I talked about his future career in being a Safety Officer while Colin kidnapped my camera and took pics of everything. He was doing a very good job and when I told him that he exclaimed that it was because he's getting "Smarter and stronger every day!" Of course!