My Friend Bart

by Jeff McGowan

Two weeks ago, the best dog I ever had passed away at the ripe old age of 15. My dog’s name was Bart and he was a cute little balck pug. I didn’t buy Bart, he came to me through my relationship with my ex-partner Billiam, he was the bait on the hook that landed me line and sinker in the longest relationship I’ve ever had. I actually noticed Bart before I noticed Billiam on that warm and sunny day on Madison Avenue. You see little Bartsy had a unique talent of giving everyone the impression that he was walking them, since everyone who passed by gave him all the attention, while whatever ridiculous biped holding the leash was reduced to standing mute, much like a cheesy mannequin, during the love fest that followed.

Right from the start I knew that there was something very special about Bart, he was definiitely smarter than your average dog. Sometimes it seemed as if he actually wanted to join the conversation becasue he really understood what was being said. If the average dog has an IQ of 4 Bart probably had a 7. He just seemed almost more human than canine at times. You could take him anywhere and he knew how to behave with decorum and as a result he literally went everywhere with us in those early days, even one time to the Metropolitan Opera. Yes, even the Opera, where once we were seated he just went to sleep only occasioanlly snoring loudly, usually when there was a pause. Thankfully, there was a senior citizen on a respiroator in the row in front of us and when everyone looked around at us, we just rolled our eyes and pointed at him and everyone nodded and returned to the show.
                                                                                                                        Man o’ man was he a good looking little guy! I know he was champion quality,and was definitely a great example of the best qualities of the breed. For those of you who are pug fans I highly recommend you pick up Jim Dratfield’s book, PUG SHOTS , a book filled with creative puns using pugs as the characters. Besides being a good book it also has a picture of Bart in it. He is the Lady Pug, a picture for which he had to engage in a bit of innocent cross-dressing.It was well worth it for the ensuing fame!
                                                                                                                       Smart, good-looking and famous, little Bartsy had it all. I loved him deeply and even as I write this, tears are welling in my eyes thinking about all the good times we had together. I am lessened by his departure. If there is that one special pet in anyone’s life, the one you remember above any other, Bart was definitely that pet to me. As i think about it, pet is not the right word really,since it diminishes him, he was my friend, better in many ways than some humans I have known.
                                                                                                                            I have always found religion and faith hard to come to grips with, I gues I will always have a healthy scepticism about “the after-life”. That said, I hope, and yes pray fervently that there is an after-life and that I will have the privelege of seeing my dear little friend again. Until then I will cherish his memory. I love you Bart and I miss you.

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