When I was seven, we got this small collie-mix puppy and named him Kookie, after Edd Byrnes of the 77 Sunset Strip TV show. He and I were constant companions and I loved him so much. We had another dog later we called Gizmo, named after Professor Gizmo of Ruff and Ready cartoon fame, and several cats – I remember a tabby named Smokey, after the bear, and a gray and white cat I named Fliptop after the Marlboro cigarette box design that matched the markings on his face. My mother at the time was very involved in the Boy Scouts and as a den mother, was taking her troop, which included my two brothers on a hike into Gizmo Park. Kookie and I tagged along. Gizmo Park was a privately owned wooded property across from our house off of Route 140 that was built by a rural neighbor Axel Akerson. I recall there being a lot of wild flowers called Lady Slippers we were told were rare and couldn’t be picked. After the hike and approaching the busy road, Kookie started to chase the speeding cars – a bad habit he had. While I was watching, a car hit and ran over Kookie. The driver stopped and I started crying. Mom and the rest of troop quickly caught up to see the poor dog panting and lying down on the side of the road, blood coming out of his ears and mouth, taking his last breaths. It was terrifying to me and one of the saddest times of my life.

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