by Janet Reimche

Created on: April 18, 2009   Last Updated: May 07, 2009

Hang On, Sloopy

The summer of 1965 was coming to a close. My older sister, Terri and I had spent three months swimming and sunning in our back yard. We were two tow-haired California girls on the cusp of adolescence, blissfully unaware of just how much our lives were about to change.

First, our family dog suddenly died. I blamed myself for not realizing that anything was wrong with her. Then, just when I thought I was all cried out, my mother broke the news that we were moving to a small town in the southeast. The thought of leaving behind our community, our friends, and our extended family brought the tears back in full force.

As it turned out, Terri was the one who had the hardest time adjusting to life in a rural town. When she found out that a neighbor's dog had given birth to nine puppies, she pleaded for one, and my parents reluctantly consented. From the littler, she chose a little black ball of fur with deep brown eyes. Terri's favorite song at the time was a hit on the radio, "Hang On, Sloopy," so her name choice was clear.

Sloopy brightened our lives from the moment she entered our home. But when we took her for her first check-up, the vet told us that she was very ill. Our hearts sank. We had already fallen in love with her! He prescribed some medication and told us to feed her anything we could get her to eat. Then he said, "If she's still alive next Tuesday, bring her back in."

Sloopy was not interested in dog food or table scraps. She turned up her nose at tuna and salmon. One morning, I set my bowl of hot cereal down next to her and she slurped it up!

We fed Sloopy hot cereal with milk and sugar twice a day. Every time she finished eating, her face would be covered with the grainy white substance. We couldn't help but laugh at her, and her tail would wag. But eating would tire her out, so we'd place her in her bed, which had been relegated to a corner of our cold, damp garage. My heart ached for her.

Every afternoon, I raced home from school and ran straight to Sloopy's side. When I was called inside for dinner, I would eat as quickly as I could in order to get back to my new little friend, looking so small and vulnerable in her bed. Then I would stay with her until bedtime. During those precious hours that Sloopy and I spent together, I held her, I comforted her, and I even sang to her, encouraging her to "Hang on, Sloopy."

Sloopy made that next appointment with the vet, and went on to a full recovery. My mother credited me with saving her life. I don't know about that, but I do know that Sloopy got me through the rest of that difficult year. Our family returned to California the following summer, to a life filled with sunshine and fresh ocean breezes, made all the sweeter by the companionship of our new best friend.

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