ET's Info-Stew

Today, June 1st, 2007 Lassen Benjamin Thomas died at the age of seven years and two plus months. In the morning he was struck by a car after having wandered onto the freeway in Livermore, Calfornia. Only two other times can I remember crying uncontrollably: the day my lizard Gordon died (I was around 10) and the day that my mom told me that I was going to live with my Dad (I was 12 and it wasn't such a bad thing, just that I was leaving my mom). I sit here writing this crying with such feelings of sorrow and loss that I cannot believe I have ever been or will ever be sadder in my life.

The news came in the morning on our last day of vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii. No details are necessary here. I hope Bonnie and Dad can stop holding themselves responsible for his death. We do not blame them, so they shouldn't either. These things happen and life it too short to blame others or one's self.

Coming home late at night my first responsibility was to clean up the apartment of Lassen's possessions: food bowl, toys, etc. My emotions flowed as I thought about all of the great things I loved about Lassen: the way he would stalk me in the morning in order to get close to my face and lick my awake; the way he would steal your seat when you got up for any reason; the way he would race you to your side of the bed when you turned off the light; the way he would flick his tail when you suddenly started paying attention to him when he lying on the couch; the way he would drop his ears and show the whites of his eyes and give you the sad puppy look when you looked at him and said "awwww"; the way he would carry a mouthful of food so that he could eat in whatever room you were in; the way he would bear his teeth and give you a kiss on the lips when you said to him "staringcontestgo"; the way you would come home and find him cuddling with your shoes or shirt because it smelled like you or when your shoes or clothes were out on the balcony because he wanted to cuddle with them in the sun.

He was so great in inumerable ways and words cannot do him justice. He will live on in my memories. May got rest him and help us through these difficult times. I miss him so much. He was truly my best friend.