Mulligan

My parents’ dog passed away last night peacefully in her sleep. Mulligan was a good dog of questionable beginnings. She was a stray living at an industrial building managed by Dad Klem.

A new tenant was moving into the building and a stray dog living on premises was not going to be conducive to business. My maternal grandfather, Grandpappy Tedesco, was at the time a widower and feeling lonely. After some discussion a match was proposed and made. Mulligan and Gramps became roommates.

Mulligan, a common golf term for taking a do-over that would not be counted on the scorecard, seemed an appropriate name for this dog. She got a mulligan herself when she was whisked off from her life on the streets to live with gramps and then with my folks after grandpa passed away.

We assumed that she had met with some abuse or harsh treatment over the years living on the streets fending for herself. She was leery of human contact. In her early years living with grandpa she wouldn’t let anyone she didn’t know to touch her until after several visits. Interaction was going to happen on her terms on a time frame that she felt was appropriate. She eventually changed and liked human contact and being petted. Although she sensibly remained her old self when in the vicintiy of a toddler what with their erratic behavior and movements.

Mulligan had been ailing badly for a few weeks and her passing away had become expected. It was lately more a matter of do we let her time come naturally or the grueling decision of do we put her down to save her from the pain and suffering.

My family and brother’s family had dinner at my parents’ house last night. It’s a biweekly occasion, Sunday night dinner with mom and dad. It was our last night with Mulligan. I wonder if maybe she held on long enough to see us all one last time.

Wife Klem astutely noted that Mulligan’s gift to my parents was that she passed away on her own rather than making my parents live with the decision of putting her down.

She was a good dog. She made Gramps very happy at a time when he needed someone.

Sweet dreams, Mule.
-klem