Ribeye

A ribeye steak has nothing on Ribeye the dog. He trotted into my life as a favor to his owners. They had an emergency in their family and needed immediate care for their bulldog, Ribeye. I’d never had a dog in the house before and wasn’t immediately taken with the idea, but this was urgent and they needed help. So….Ribeye came to join us for a week.
His owner Christine said perhaps we would fall for bulldog’s, when I mentioned that we were considering getting a dog. I remember thinking that it wasn’t too likely. That lasted about 2 hours.
When I fell, I fell hard. This wonderful bulldog became my companion. He sat by my feet all day long, within easy reach for that delicious petting. I could feel the tension leave my body with each stroke to his soft hair. Over and over I stroked him and fell in love with my four-legged friend, and he accepted me into his pack.
He’d snort around with his short muzzle looking for any dropped morsels, and then come back to my chair to be stroked some more. I’d get the sideways looks from him, which spoke of happiness. That is all he asked for; love and perhaps a little food mixed in.
We told our friends that we would love to have Ribeye anytime at all, and we meant it. They took us at our word, and we got to have him for another two week period. That was an amazing time, and cemented the notion that a bulldog was for us. We couldn’t have Ribeye, but we could have his kissin’ cousin.
Our little Truffle, a French Bulldog, came to us just a few weeks after Ribeye died. It was a death that was unexpected, and it saddened all who loved that doggie. He was known throughout NW Portland for his personality and good nature. He was special beyond words, and I will always remember the very first dog I ever fell in love with; a bulldog named Ribeye.