Places in the heart: Spotsylvania

Trotting around town, I attract a lot of attention. You know: I'm large, handsome, plus rather unusual for around here. I like the spotlight, and my family likes me to have it. But I follow literally in the pawprints of the esteemed Sparky, who had that magnetic quality that truly made him a celebrity.

You could hear people exclaiming from afar: "A Dalmatian! A Dalmatian!" Mom always said she'd be rich if she could have charged a nickel every time some child asked, "Can I pet your dog?" Let's see...say 10 times a day times 10 years...would just about cover my vet bill for a year. Maybe not rich, but still...

So Mom naturally charged right over when she saw two sets of spots on the lacrosse field, one liver (that's the brown), one the traditional black. What did she think, that she was going to see the great Sparky himself? I was standoffish, I have to admit. She liked the dogs OK, she said, but naturally she was a bit disappointed. Even though I know she loves, loves, loves me, her heart is still a little bit broken.

His birthday's coming up on May 14, and we'll say a little prayer of thanks for him being part of our lives.