You Didn’t Have To Do It …
By Rooney

But I sure am glad that you did!!

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On that Thursday evening way back in October of 2003 when mom-D was looking at the paper and caught dad at a weak moment … that’s when I became their pup!  Now, make no mistake about it … I was not happy at all about it for a day or so … mom-D left for the Roping Fiesta in San Angelo and since Philip wasn’t going to be there that year, dad stayed “home” with me.  The first evening, I pretty much just hid behind the trees in the living room, but dad laid down in the living room floor and finally I decided that he might be warmer than that danged ol’ potted plant!  Know what … he was!  By the time that mom-D got back from Angelo that Sunday – I had my bestest buddy picked out!!  I think mom-D is still a little "PO'ed" over that!

After that first weekend, I kinda became dad’s shadow … Hardway learned to like me and Miss Shoo, well, she pretty much just tolerated me.  I learned a LOT from HW and realized that dad would serve as my mentor and protector and I should serve as his as well!  We have taught each other a LOT of things!!  I also discovered that even though I chose dad over mom-D as my Numero Uno – she would become my biggest fan and supporter and the “tender to” of all of my needs (both personal and otherwise!).  Even to the extent of finding me a boyfriend (though, to this day, I am not really sure that I was even looking for one … or wanted one!  Thanks mom-D!!)

Well, next thing you knew … I was getting fatter and slower … I couldn’t figure it out.  Mom-D took me to the vet a time or two … then … next thing I knew, these furry little things were shooting out of my …. ummmm, well … it appeared that I was giving birth!  I didn’t know much about that process, and no one took much time to ‘splain it to me (and we didn’t have wireless at the time) so I just kinda relied on instincts (I still can’t figure out why dad had all that boiling water though!!)  I guess it was all ok – some nice people came and took Baby, Booger, Jake, Jane, and Runty away (but only after mom-D got their fingerprints and I think that I saw a pinky swear or two) … but Flash and Patches were still hanging around!  I guess no one ever really wanted them … so they’re actually still around.  Pretty cool I guess – even though Flash got all snooty and changed her name to Gall … but really, Gall and Patch are good kids and I am glad that they hung around and that dad and mom-D let them.

So now me, Gall, and Patch were being tutored by the late, great HW!  We were taking in as much as we could!  Then, mom-D took me for another “ride” – back to the SAME PLACE where the atrocities first happened!!  Can you believe that!!  Then … yep … you guessed it!  I started getting fat again … and slowing down … yep, here they came!!!  Mom-D wasn’t even around this time … dad had to tend to everything (though I did hear him call mom-D a time or two!)  Just like the time before, after the pups started getting around on their own and stopped biting at my belly all the time – some more nice people started coming by and before we knew it, there were quite a few pups missing … Bandit, Jackson, Maggie, Pedro, and Slowpoke Rodriquez.  But like before, there were two still there after a pretty good wait – the freakishly huge pup that they called Bubba and the quick one – Speedy Gonzales!  And again, just like before, the smaller of the two got uppity and changed her name – Speedy became Annie.  Bubba is still pretty much Bubba!  Yeah, they're still here too!

I was quizzing dad about this process the other day – in explaining this to me he told me that he and mom-D got Shooter when they were living in Virginia (a LONG LONG time ago) right before they came back to Texas and not too long after, they “found” Hardway in Veribest!  I came next, picked up outside of town, and then the pups!  Again, I quizzed him – inquiring minds just have to know – he told me that since people can’t have puppies, this is how puppies are exchanged.  People’s pups have babies and the people then either sell their puppies or give them away (this is also known as Adoption!)  I can’t really imagine the selling part, but that adoption stuff sounds pretty cool!!  Dad then explained that he and mom-D bought Shooter!  Wow!  He then told me that the people that originally had me wanted some money for part of me, but dad said he wasn’t interested in that part, so I was just adopted.  He kept explaining that some pups, like Pete, just come by for a visit and then just stick around.  Others, like Roxy, are found (a different kind of “finding” than HW) by their soon to be people who are concerned for the pup and offer a home, health, and happiness to them!!  Pretty cool, huh!  He then explained that all of my pups were adopted by folks that mom-D had visited with and folks that she thought would provide a loving home for them.  He said that Shooter had some puppies and that they sold them (for some pretty big bucks) – now people do have some expenses associated with their buppies having puppies, and there is nothing wrong with selling the pups – but dad said that their experience in selling some of Shoo’s pups to folks that they were afraid shouldn’t be spending that much money for a dog was not all that satisfying and he and mom-D decided not to sell any more dogs.

Then, he kept on visiting about the subject … he told me that people do this with all sorts of animals … even human kids!!  Well, he explained that HE was adopted, kinda like me and HW (and all the BC kids).  He says that his mom and dad wanted more kiddos and that wasn’t working out too well, and they found a lawyer dude that helped facilitate the deal.  Anyway, they didn’t know when or where … or any of the details … and they got a call one day in September (a LONG time ago) and were told if they wanted a baby to meet the lawyer guy in the parking lot of the Red R Coffee Shop!  (This is NO BULL and I AIN’T KIDDING!)  They called Auntie Helen and Uncle Connie to come by the house and watch dad’s bubba and then ran to Gibson’s and were buying all kinds of baby stuff (evidently they weren’t list makers either and dad’s bubba was nearly a teenager so they didn’t have any baby stuff), when their neighbors inquired, dad’s mom said “We’re having a BABY!” (which I bet that they thought was odd since dad’s mom wasn’t fat or slow!!)  Well, they made it to the Red R Coffee Shop, met the lawyer and the transaction was completed!  (Runty's "transaction" took place at the Town & Country parking lot in Iraan!)  They had a baby and dad had a new family!!  Now dad’s Uncle Connie always commented that they FOUND dad under a rock at the Red R, and dad’s dad always said that he NEVER went back to the Red R Coffee Shop again!  But I think that they were both having a little fun at dad’s expense!!

This is all pretty cool – dad came into this family in a very similar way that I did!  WOW – we have more in common than I knew!!  We kept on visiting about “our” situations … I quizzed dad about what he knew about my bio mom and dad … he confessed that he didn’t know much.  He said that my bio people were nice enough, but he didn’t really know anything about them.  I then asked him about his bio people – he said that he really knew nothing about them.  He said that his dad offered to help him find out information if he wanted too and that mom-D probably knew more than he did.  He said that he really didn’t have any desire to find his bio people – he certainly wished them no ill will or harm at all, and he would forever be appreciative for what they did in giving him up for adoption – but he then spun the table on me and asked how I would do if I went back to my bio place!!  Well, I quickly explained that I wouldn’t be excited about that at all – that’s not my place, I can’t find my way around it in the dark, Patches, Gall, Bubba and Annie wouldn’t be there, and mostly dad and mom-D wouldn’t be there!!  Yeah, I guess I understand.  We appreciate that the bio folks found a spot for us to go (versus leaving us in a field like Roxy) and we are eternally grateful to the “adopto” folks that picked us up and took us in and treated us JUST LIKE THEIR OWN (just like Roxy’s folks)!!!  How cool is that!!

But wait … There’s more … Dad kept on ‘splaining (he does that sometimes, doesn’t he Grasshopper?) – He kept explaining that this adoption stuff really is pretty bad ass!  But it really does get better!! And this even applies to origi-kids … if you’re lucky, ya’ll are adopted too (to some extent)!!  Dad explained that he has really been adopted a dozen or so times!!  OK, now I was getting a little fuzzy on all of this.  He says that there are many folks that helped out and participated in his raising over the years (and there is still one, old welder that is still trying!!)  He named off a bunch of names and I am not even going to try and name them off for fear that I will miss a few – some have already gone on, and some are still with us – but there is still a relationship with all of them.  In a way, they played a similar role as his adopto people – they had a hand in this whole deal!  He is appreciative to all that played an important role –THANK YOU!! 

You didn’t have to do it (but I sure am glad that you did!!!)

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To MY adopted Mom and Dad - THANKS!! and I LOVE YOU!!

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Not flesh of my flesh,
Nor bone of my bone,
But still miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute,
You didn't grow under my heart - but in it.
- Fleur Conkling Heylinger

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“The beggarly question of parentage--what is it, after all? What does it matter, when you come to think of it, whether a child is yours by blood or not? All the little ones of our time are collectively the children of us adults of the time, and entitled to our general care. That excessive regard of parents for their own children, and their dislike of other people's, is, like class-feeling, patriotism, save-your-own-soul-ism, and other virtues, a mean exclusiveness at bottom.”
- Thomas Hardy

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“Adopted.
Big Deal; so was Superman”
- Chris Crutcher

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For more information on this topic (as it relates to the BC’s) please be sure and re-read

How We Got Our Names on your favorite BC Website.