GONE BUT ALWAYS LOVED

I'll just say it: Robin is gone, but she didn't die, at least not yet as far as I know.

Saturday evening somehow she and Scout the black Lab mix got into a dispute over biscuits even though everybody had a biscuit. I don't know how it started or who started it. Harper had wisely run out to the deck with his biscuit to chomp away.

It took quite a bit of work to separate Robin and Scout. I sprayed them with water and smacked them with a pan and screamed and finally they stopped. I was quite shocked by their behavior. Robin seemed to have gotten the worst of it but had an "I don't care - bring it on" attitude.

Everything seemed fine and then about an hour later I was working at the computer and Robin suddenly took umbrage at Scout's presence and attacked the hell out of him. She chased him under the desk and held onto his ear and wouldn't let go. I received quite a scratch and bruise on my hand during the battle.

I called my son and he offered to come over and get Robin. I panted, No, I'll put Scout in the bedroom for a while and everyone, including me, will calm down and we'll be fine.

So they were in separate rooms for quite some time and then they went out before bed and everything was fine. Then we went in the bedroom to go to bed and Robin attacked Scout next to the bed and cornered him against a wardrobe while she bit the hell out of him.

Distracting her and grabbing her and doing anything with her was extremely difficult, but eventually I got her out of the room. I called my son and said, I'm sorry. You have to come and get her.

We sat together in the living room, blood from her mouth dripping onto the area rug, and waited the few minutes until he arrived.

He took her with him and I don't think she can come back here. Perhaps she'll have to be euthanized, which would have happened eventually anyway because of the cancer.

It was very shocking and upsetting and I'm still upset and also concerned for Scout, who was limping last night and not acting like himself. This morning he seemed fine and danced for his breakfast and I think we're back to normal.

I just wish I knew what went wrong with this good, sweet girl whose only flaw was escaping under the house from time to time. Oh, and sleeping in the middle of my bed, if you consider that a flaw.

I loved her, and she disappeared as quickly as she appeared.

And like Forrest, Forrest Gump, That's all I have to say about Vietnam.