Dear Mr. John Grogan,




Outside of school, reading is one activity I really love doing. Although, the books I've read have never completely related to my life and I never had any emotional connection to them. Over this winter break, that completely changed. I stumbled across the book Marley and Me. Every word I read, reminded me of my beloved dog Misiu and before I knew it, the flash backs made it seem like everything happened yesterday.

It was in the fall of the year 2005 when we got our shy, 6 month old golden retriever. His coat was perfectly golden and soft to touch. He had a face that was undeniably adorable that could make any heart melt. When my parents brought him home, we were inseparable.

Over summer break, my family learned that Misiu was the complete opposite of shy. First, between puppy food and couches, Misiu didn’t care what it was… he would down it like a garbage disposal. About a year later, my furry friend was as big as a cow! He loved giving my little brother piggy back rides around the yard and he was also always up for a game of fetch. By the time he was one, Misiu and I were best buds. If someone he didn't know came over or if it was just my brother harassing me, Misiu would get very upset. The 100 lb dog would bark as loud as a lion's roar. He wouldn’t stop growling or causing a scene until the person left or I comforted him assuring everything was okay. Every night, Misiu would lay right next to me waiting for me to fall asleep. He always made me feel protected. Because of the protection he offered me, I would give it right back to him when he needed it. Although Misiu seems like a big, tough dog he had a weak spot and that was thunderstorms. Every time there was thunder or lightening Misiu would cry and run to my bed. The fact he chose me to run to for comfort meant a great deal to me. We were always there for each other, time after time.


After a couple of years went by, Misiu was not a pet, he was a family member. For instance, about every weekend in the summer, my family would take him up north with us to my grandma’s cottage in Pentwater. There, the whole family bonded and many memories were made, a lot of them were thanks to Misiu. He loved running around in the open air, basking in the sun which made his shiny gold coat appear even brighter. Misiu also enjoyed swimming and playing with all the kids in the lake. Of course, Misiu would stay by me making sure I was safe at all times. There was something about him that made me feel so secure, comfortable and protected. It seemed like as long as Misiu was by my side, everything was okay and nothing could ever hurt me.


Around the time Misiu was four, things started to go downhill. One day coming home from school, I was looking out the bus window getting ready to see my dog waiting for me to come home. I stepped off the bus, looked around and he was nowhere to be seen. I eagerly ran inside and asked my mom where on earth he was. She told me earlier that day he had ran away. I wasn’t too worried because sometimes Misiu would go to the neighborhood down the street to play with my friend’s dog. I assured myself that everything was fine and not to worry. A couple days went by and there was no sign of my best friend. It was a Saturday morning and I went to go play outside with my brothers. As soon as I walked out the door I saw my dad carrying Misiu down the driveway. Once I ran up to him I realized something was wrong. My dad told me his back leg was broken and that he must have got hit by a car. I told Misiu everything was going to be fine, I tried my absolute best to comfort him. When I went inside I told my mom what happened and she told me we could make him feel better. Hearing those words gave me hope and I truly did believe that everything was going to be okay.


The next day our vet showed up to our house. The vet told us it was going to be about a $4000 operation. After about an hour of my parents discussing what was going to happen, they told us we had to put him to sleep. My stomach dropped and my heart shattered into a million pieces. Another hour went by and mom told me to say good bye. I thought to myself "good bye? How am I supposed to just say 'good bye' to my absolute best friend in the world?" When I went into the garage, Misiu was laying there stiff and miserable. I hugged and kissed him. I remember saying “You are the world’s greatest dog. Thank you for everything. I love you Misiu.” One tear after another I was sobbing. I realized my best friend was going to die, I felt as if I had to go with him but he was holding me back. I watched my dog stop breathing that day, and I will never forget the way he was looking at me when he was going to sleep for good. My whole world changed that day; it was a rather cold day too. After reading the end of Marley and Me reminded me of the bond I had with my Misiu, and how sad it was to lose a pet.
Thanks for listening.
Sincerely,


Anonymous