Approximately five years ago, my husband and I were driving down the always stunning Highway 1 when my husband exclaimed, "Happy didn't go to a farm!"
Happy had been my husband's German Shepherd mix when he was a child.
Happy had come to the family as an adult adoptee with an unfortunate
aversion to uniformed men. The family managed to keep her away from the
police and postman, but as she aged her behavioral problems worsened.
A protective dog by nature, she instantly appointed herself
guardian of my husband's baby brother when she arrived. Over time she
became increasingly possessive. She started to snarl at visitors who
came too close to the child.
The parents' tolerance ran out when Happy lunged, teeth bared, at my
husband's mother as she picked up his brother. Happy had become
unmanageable.
The parents, unwilling to devastate their two young boys, told the boys
that Happy was going to go live at a farm where she could run and play
with the squirrels. The boys were sad to see Happy go, but consoled
themselves with stories of Happy on the farm. Happy left a few days
later.
After my husband explained Happy's history, I agreed that it was
unlikely that Happy had in fact gone to a farm. He called his mother
and she confirmed his suspicions. Happy had gone to that big farm in
the sky.
This transpired nearly thirty years prior to my husband's road trip
outburst. I've had the similar realizations, where I suddenly
understood that my child's understanding of the world wasn't quite
complete.
It makes me wonder what Nathaniel will realize in thirty years or so.
What will we protect him from, only to have him realize the true
situation years later? And will he mind?
[Update: My husband points out that Happy came from a judge who didn't
quite reveal the truth of Happy's nature to the adoptive family.
Perhaps Happy's aversion to police officers was vocational in nature.]
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