Unconditional Love Comes Wrapped in Fluff!!

We are probably the oddest pair of friends to travel and divide some of the craziest adventures we’ve shared.

Samy’s red hair, which matched his spitfire personality, was long and fluffy. His dreadlock upward curly tail and happy dance where he pranced lifting both his paws when you called him, would bring a smile to everyone’s face who has the pleasure of encountering him. That little buddy had met people from all over the United States and Canada. Our road trips together have been from Southern California to Vancouver, Canada, California to Florida, and up the east coast countless times. We have had many adventures that still make me laugh when I reminisce about what transpired.

One of our funniest memories took place during a family road trip for my son’s spring break, our destination, Yellowstone national park via Montana. While our road trips as a family are an adventure in themselves, all in all, most of the time they are usually fun. As we overpacked our Jeep Wrangler, my husband and I were in the front, along with my son and Samy in the back seat, at least to start the trip. Usually, within the first fifteen minutes of being on the road, Samy or who we affectionally referred to as “ Bittle Bean”, “Bean” for short would venture his way up to the passenger’s seat so he could sit next to me. On many occasions, he would perch upon the middle console and look out the front window as if he was the co-pilot. He always adorned a face of concern of where we may be going, however, the moment the car stopped his sense of curiosity and excitement was contagious to all of us.

For an eight-pound dog, he positioned himself larger than life. The normal everyday walks on a leash would be an adventure, as he would go after larger dogs, and I would be holding the leash to hold back this vicious crazy animal from attacking the other dog. He would rear up on his hind legs and bark as to announce he was the alpha of the neighborhood pack. The reality, if Samy had been confronted by a larger dog he would run behind me putting me in the middle between him and his rival.

As we arrived at Yellowstone, the entrance we entered, only allowed visitors approximately halfway in before a turnaround point due to inclement weather in the prior days of our arrival. The snow and ice blocked the road to where only snowmachine would allow you to enter any further. For anyone else, the trip would have been a bust not having the ability to take in the national park. However, for us, the surrounding terrain was just as enjoyable with the snow-covered hills, bison, and elk who were our only concern for five o’clock traffic. Samy took it all in with amazement since the new smells and frosty weather was currently a foreign concept for a California-raised dog. When we found a safe area to stop and get out, my son suggested that Samy be put on his leash. My husband reluctantly ignored my son’s concerns and iterated, “He’s not going to go anywhere and there is no one around.” He picked up Samy and released him on the ground, to advance the freedom to do his own thing and most importantly ‘do his own business.’ The moment my husband set him on the ground, not even a consciously moment after, a rather tempest frigid blast of air had rear-ended him, and he bolted as fast as I’ve seen a Pomeranian run. Naturally, my son was livid, as his sage advice was seldom followed by my husband, and as a family, we did our best to follow hot in pursuit in the snowy landscape. I took off running first, as I was the one closest to him and gave it my best attempt to call him back. I used every trick I could possibly think of within those brief 10 seconds of action. Fortunately, the wind stopped blowing and the chase was over. I yelled “ Bean Stop!” He stopped in his tracks and was paw deep in snow up to his belly. I was able to quickly snatch him from his frozen stance and wrapped him in my scarf. We couldn’t stop laughing, since his back hairs had blossomed into a brown/red hair flower, and to see my dog, testing his own speed while simultaneously peering back at his butt, was something that’ll forever be remembered within our family.

I kid you not, Samy has seen more of the country than most of my friends, sniffed more scents than most k-9’s, and experienced just as many adventures on the road as an avid motorcycle rider. Our trips have consisted of hiking Yosemite, Mount Rushmore, Niagara Falls, and many other natural landmarks. If possible, Samy would have ventured out to the moon and back if we had the chance. He and I spent many nights driving out at 4 am to catch a meteor shower during its peak hours. He came with us to watch the last space shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida when we decided to take a spontaneous trip when we lived in Georgia. All it took for me to say “ Who wants to go for a Bye-Bye, and he was waiting by the door with anticipation whether it was a trip across the country or to pick up my son from school.

My favorite times I’ve had with Samy, were to visit the Harbor first thing in the morning before the tourist and locals arrived for breakfast at the quaint shops and restaurants. He and I would board my kayak and launch from the beach only to paddle out toward the sea lions resting on the docks. He would bark good morning to them, and they would answer us back within their own language. Samy would watch them as they would jump off the dock, swim around and hop back onto their favorite sunning spot. While we loved to partake in physical adventures, nothing beat the serene state of relaxing by the jetty at Dana Point by the ocean institute, we had our favorite flat rock that overlooked the rolling waves where we ventured to watch the sunset at least twice a week. He resembled more of a personal connection with me than most people would even attempt, he understood the world around him and usually understood the way I felt as well. He would close his eyes and appreciate the sounds of the waves slapping against the rocks, He would just sit there, and I would watch the ocean breeze push back the hair on his face as he smiled with content to be there with me. We would just sit there until the sun melted into the ocean. Then stay after to watch the best part of the sky change from yellow, to orange to deep red. He and I have lived our lives unleashed the past eleven years together without boundaries. I am one lucky human to have something so special be a part of my life that was nothing less than unconditional love.

Samy’s has been my rock and best friend through so many hard times in my life. We have laughed together and been there for each other in our own trying times. I’ve shared my secrets, goals, and dreams that I have told no other living being. I have cried in his fur, and he would sit there with me as if to say it’s going to be ok. They say action speaks louder than words, and he was the most charismatic creature I’ve ever been with without saying a word. I loved the crazy dances in the kitchen where my son and I would dance, and he would bark and chase us around, I would like to think he was joining in with the fun.

His happy dance every morning and unconditional love has filled my life with so much joy. In fact, it was so routine, that if I didn’t receive the standard happy dance, I would immediately check on him, as usual, something must have gone awry that day.

I am sorry to say, Samy crossed the rainbow bridge in October of 2021. My Heart is still broken over him being gone. A part of me is still amiss without the presence of Samy, my Bean, however, I know he lived a fulfilling life in my arms and in my heart. Every day was a special day with him, as it would be with any best friend, and unfortunately with his absence, is something I’ll have to learn to live with from now on. Just remember, no amount of time will ever be enough when it comes to an intense moment such as that, since in the end with hindsight, you’ll always wish for another five more minutes.

I miss him every day. I am grateful he and I had the time together and created the adventures and memories. Although he is gone, his collar and his tag hang from my truck’s rearview mirror. His spirit and memories still travel with me each day, and I like to personally think his spirit still likes to hang in the back seat. Thank you Samy, my Bittle Bean, for always being my companion and best friend in all our adventures, and most importantly, thank you for reminding me to live life unleashed, I love you Bean.