A Man and His Dog
DEEP in the underbelly of the UMD Sports and Health Center is Rocco Ierino's office. He is a tall, gray-haired man who looks to be 60 plus and he is the person to look for when one wants to rent a locker. I've been to his counter window once before. That was last year when I had a group activities pass (which went unused for most of the fall semester). He's a pleasant enough man, but not someone I was chatty with because he was so in demand. You just said hello, paid for your locker, grabbed the piece of paper with the combination, and that was it.
Last week, I came to his window again because I was tired of dragging my gym bag around campus (it did not fit in my coat locker). This time, while waiting for him at the counter, I noticed a big cream-colored labrador. She was licking the back of her left paw. I guess I didn't think it strange because cats lick their paws all the time. (Need to remind myself that not all pets are cats.)
Rocco appeared and I paid for my locker. I said his dog seemed very behaved. And this was when the old man opened up. The dog's name was Candy and she had arthritis. She is all of 16 orbits around the sun, a senior citizen in dog years. She was also under medication. Rocco mumbled something about the vet saying the time might be near to put Candy to sleep.
I remembered Brucie and how difficult it was for C. to decide when to have her put down. I wondered then if Rocco was in the same state of confusion and denial. I thought about the paw licking. I'm pretty sure that was a pain reaction. I wondered if Rocco knew this. Bruce used to smack his jaw when he was in pain. I didn't recognize this for what it was in the early stage of his illness. But after I asked his vet about it and she idenitified it as a pain reaction, I had a sick feeling in my stomach eveytime Bruce did it (when his morphine wore off). I also felt bad about not knowing about it beforehand.
And here, a gentle-looking labrador is in pain. In the underbelly of the sports center. Watching over her is her human companion who can't quite let go.
Last week, I came to his window again because I was tired of dragging my gym bag around campus (it did not fit in my coat locker). This time, while waiting for him at the counter, I noticed a big cream-colored labrador. She was licking the back of her left paw. I guess I didn't think it strange because cats lick their paws all the time. (Need to remind myself that not all pets are cats.)
Rocco appeared and I paid for my locker. I said his dog seemed very behaved. And this was when the old man opened up. The dog's name was Candy and she had arthritis. She is all of 16 orbits around the sun, a senior citizen in dog years. She was also under medication. Rocco mumbled something about the vet saying the time might be near to put Candy to sleep.
I remembered Brucie and how difficult it was for C. to decide when to have her put down. I wondered then if Rocco was in the same state of confusion and denial. I thought about the paw licking. I'm pretty sure that was a pain reaction. I wondered if Rocco knew this. Bruce used to smack his jaw when he was in pain. I didn't recognize this for what it was in the early stage of his illness. But after I asked his vet about it and she idenitified it as a pain reaction, I had a sick feeling in my stomach eveytime Bruce did it (when his morphine wore off). I also felt bad about not knowing about it beforehand.
And here, a gentle-looking labrador is in pain. In the underbelly of the sports center. Watching over her is her human companion who can't quite let go.
posted by Natasha Vizcarra at 3:33 PM
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