The Popcorn Stand: Pete was beautiful too

It's been a tough couple of months. First, my beloved Jack Russell Tuf Tuf died July 1. Those of you who chose to read this Popcorn Stand got to know a little bit about Tuf Tuf.

Like how he was a purebred and I never could really remember what his real name was. But in the end he was simply Tuf Tuf and he was beautiful.

But over the last five years, I've had two dogs in my life. In my old stomping grounds at the Nevada Appeal in Carson City I would write often about Tuf Tuf the Jack Russell and my other dog, Pete the Shih Tzu.

When I moved back to Porterville, Pete stayed in Carson City to live with my mom. But for the past 13 years, Pete was still as much a part of my life as Tuf Tuf when I lived in Carson City and when I returned for short visits to Carson City after moving to Porterville.

But that all changed on Tuesday when my mom called. Without going into the details, mom told me Pete had just suddenly died.

I was numb. I really didn't know how to react. With Tuf Tuf there was a grieving process. I knew for about a couple of weeks Tuf Tuf was going to die. It wasn't a matter of if, but when. I finally had to make the difficult decision to put him down.

But as I write this, I'm still pretty numb when it comes to Pete's death. I guess it still hasn't really hit me yet. It may not hit me until I return for a visit to Carson City and I sit down ready for Pete to jump up in my lap and lick my face and it doesn't happen.

Even though Pete was a little younger than Tuf Tuf, he was more like an older brother to Tuf Tuf since we had Pete for a longer time.

Pete acted like an older brother to Tuf Tuf. He acted like he didn't really care that much for Tuf Tuf, just sort of tolerated him, but I knew better, especially when Tuf Tuf was in some kind of trouble and Pete ran to his aid.

And even though Pete was a little younger, he was the old man while Tuf Tuf was more like a little kid. And while I wouldn't necessarily say Pete was smarter than Tuf Tuf, he knew better. Especially during football season.

Pete hated football season. Because he had to deal with yours truly jumping up and down, yelling out at the television things like “You guys are a bunch of bums, I hate you guys, what are you doing, you're killing me” and then when my team came back and won yelling out things like “You guys are the greatest. I love you guys.”

But whenever this routine began Pete knew enough to say “oh no here we go again” and he would run to the back bedroom where it was safe.

I miss Tuf Tuf and I miss Pete. He was beautiful too.

Charles Whisnand is the Porterville Recorder Editor. Contact him at cwhisnand@portervillerecorder.com or 784-5000, extension 1048.