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One day while Rhonda
was looking online at Poodle images a little six-month
old grey-black Poodle appeared on the screen. At
that moment an instant and unexpected connection became established
between Rhonda and the little dog in the image.
After discovering
Celine had just been reserved by a breeder Rhonda felt a
lingering disappointment... until a few days later when
the phone rang and Celine's breeder said... |
Celine... we called her Cissy |
"This is your lucky
day! She's available but won't be for long so if
you want her you better come soon." A six hour ride later and
we were on our way back home with our new little dog of
2 pounds, four ounces.
I thought something was
wrong with Celine because she was so quiet, calm and
comfortable... as if it was perfectly natural to be
sitting in Rhonda's lap and simply going for a ride.
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This remarkable little
dog captured our hearts with her cheerful little
mannerisms. Possessed of an uncompromising
personality she was assertive, brave, composed and
conniving.
I used to tease Rhonda
by saying
that Cissy... whom I nicknamed Cissy P. Wissy... wasn't
very smart. It would irritate me when I'd give her
a simple command such as "here!" and she'd stand
motionless and dumbfounded. Then one day I
discovered her true intelligence level...
I was sitting next to
Rhonda on the couch watching TV. Cissy P. Wissy,
as usual never let Rhonda out of her sight and stood
directly in front of me and stared at me for a few
minutes. Then she began to dance around in
circles, looked sideways at me and barked, and acted
cute and playful. I asked Rhonda "what the heck
does she want now? She's been outside, there's
food in her bowl, she's got chewy treats everywhere."
The display continued until with exasperation I got up
to take her outside... again.
Cissy immediately
scooted past me, jumped up on the couch where I had
been, snuggled up close to Rhonda and looked me square
in the eye. The sparkle in her own eyes said
"Ha-ha... got ya to move." Rhonda didn't come to
my rescue at all and without even looking up at me she said
"Still think she's dumb?"
I have been truly
amazed at the intensity of the bond that existed between
Rhonda and Cissy. Neither felt complete without
the other; each found comfort and security with the
other. Cissy never needed scolding... she was
contented, quiet, observant and found a way to be at
Rhonda's side. Rhonda would unconsciously reach
down to carry Cissy just because they each liked the
close contact of the other.
Miss Cissy P. Wissy was
no pushover, however. She feared nothing, would
give a low growl at the approach of another dog, and
even chased a 300 pound Black bear from our yard! There was a
faithful watchdog inside that round little body, too,
and just the slightest sniff of any wildlife in the yard
and she'd let us know something was out there.
It was a pleasure to
see so many people stop to ask Rhonda about Cissy
whenever they were out in public together. Cissy's
black eyes and nose surrounded by her grey-black fur
drew people to her like a magnet. "Is she real"
people would ask. "Is she a puppy, how old is she,
what's her name, can we pet her, can we have her..."
Thank you Cissy... you
were a very special little dog in our lives.
We love you...
and we miss you.
T. J., Rhonda, and your roommate Sonny B. Bunzafur, Jr.
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