Tao was an abandoned puppy. In September of 1992, at Nishikasai station, there were two junior high school girls crying and saying, “Won’t somebody take him home?” He was smaller than my hand, and not moving. The girls said, “We promise you he won’t even grow to be twice the size he is now!”

I thought the puppy was dying, and even though I never had any interest in dogs I figured I could at least give him some comfortable final hours. So I took him home. I wonder if the girls were snickering after I left.

On the way home I stopped and picked up some Purina puppy chow. I fed it to Tao and he sprang to life and he started racing around in circles all around my house. I sighed and thought, “well there go the next 10 years of my life.”

Actually Tao lived to be 14 years and 2 months, and grew to around 60 lb.

And you know what? I can’t recall even one time feeling bothered by having to take him for a walk, even in bad weather.

He was a very good boy. I miss him a lot.

This slide show movie covers his whole life, from the first day he came home with me, to his final day.

doug