Old Friend

I have a 17 year old toy poodle
his name is Half a Cup o Cocoa
and he's been with me through
thick and thin
(that's a thick waist and thin options)
thru everything for 17 years

I got up early today to take him to the groomer
he needs a haircut bad
and he won't let me cut it

over the last year or so
every time I take him
she and I have a talk about how
she should respond should he stroke out
on the table
or in the bathtub

my answer is always a terse
"let him go"
I don't want him to suffer
but I sure don't want him gone

funny thing
I'd always had big dogs
rottweillers and doberman pincers
and shepherds and huskies

when I got sick enough
that I wasn't going out of the house
for days on end
my mother and brother
brought me this little brown bundle
about the size of a cup

and I was immediatley in love
here I am 17 years later
thinking about him no longer being here
it isn't pretty

I have some great stories about his antics over the years
but the best tribute I can give him
is that he is my longest standing relationship

and again
tho I don't want him to be in pain
I really don't think I'm ready for him to be gone