Saturday, March 12, 2011

The Sudden, Tragic Death of Fritz Von Nosille

He was larger than life to me---a joy to be around.  And, although I was only 7 years old, I had come to know him as a joyful and loyal companion.  When one is as young as I was back then, one tends to take things for granted.  Looking back, I see that, as life extends toward old age, we learn not to take things for granted because they just might not be there for us tomorrow.  But I didn't really know that back then.

My dad named him "Fritz".  We got him when he was just a puppy.  You could say that I was just a puppy, too.  We grew together in the two years of his life.  Dad finally added a middle and last name to his first name, so that he was formally known as "Fritz Von Nosille".  I thought this was exceedingly clever, as "Nosille" is actually our family name spelled backward.

One day I was playing with my friends in the front of our Houston, Texas house.  I don't know exactly how it happened, but Fritz escaped from his back yard home, which was fenced.  He ran down the street, with me and the other neighborhood kids in pursuit.

I can see it today as clearly as the day it happened so long ago.  My precious dog, that I took for granted, didn't know any better as he ran onto the busy Southwest Freeway.  We all watched as he was crushed by speeding traffic.

I went into shock.  Somehow, my mom got the dog to the vet.  There was nothing that could be done.  It happened right before Christmas, 1952.  And it lives with me still.

13 comments:

  1. What good memories you had, followed by your last memory of Fritz. I, too, had a dog..."Squeegie".
    I adored little Squeegie. Little, sweet thing. Ran into the road of busy traffic. My little companion died instantly. Sigh... but like you, I had many good memories that came first.

    Take care~

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  2. Well...
    I'm so sorry to hear that! We were lucky to live on a small street in the middle of nowhere growing up, so the worst thing that could happen was us driving over our own dog...

    Which we did.... and yes.... a little childhood trauma never goes away.

    Thanks for sharing
    leontein

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  3. How horrible. I find it very difficult to lose any living thing. It is at those bad times that I wonder why it is I choose to keep any animals. But the time that they are with us is priceless.

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  4. So much joy and love they give for as long as we have them, but no matter how old they get to be, they always leave too soon...

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  5. What a tragic end to a pet that grew with you.
    I had a dog after I completed having children, we had her for 16 years then her back legs buckled under her, we took her to the vets but I couldn't stay while he put her to sleep, my husband was most upset . Our cat outlived him by two years so it was me who was left totally alone for the first time in my life,
    Pets are wonderful to have but oh the heartbreak they bring.

    Yvonne.

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  6. poor fritz, and poor lil clint! i was around the same age when i lost my dog sparky to traffic. =(

    *big hugs*

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  7. Wow...such memories....what a great looking dog! Something you never forget for sure...but what a gift in the sense of the lesson he left you with - and now - you share. :)

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  8. Shay---I love the name "Squeegie". We never forget our pets.

    Leontien---And we also drove over our pet cat who had been with us for 19 years. These self-inflicted tragedies hurt the most.

    Jane---I know. They give us so much comfort and joy while they are with us.

    Texwis---We have to concentrate on being thankful for the time God allowed them to be with us.

    Yvonne---You have been thru so much. My heart goes out to you.

    Kelli---I guess the death of a beloved pet is one way God has of getting us kids ready for life. Hugs back atcha'!

    Design W & D---Again, welcome back to the culinary realm! Don't even think about takin' a break!

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  9. "Fritz"...a cute name and for sure a cut dog. It is always sad when a "good friend" dies...especially in such a horrible accident.

    Greetings
    Petra

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  10. Oh Clint, I feel with you. What a feeling to see it with your own eyes. And yout could'nt help him.
    He shurely looks from heaven at you.
    Greetings Sabine

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  11. Clint, Blessing to you. Fritz was a cute little dog. I can understand the trauma you went through in losing him.
    I was 5 when our Mickey was hit by a car. He was a beautiful red Irish Sitter. At least we were spared the trauma of watching it happen. We were in school and found him when we were walking home that day.

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  12. Sue---Seems like we all have memories of beloved pets that have met untimely ends. Part of living, I guess.

    Sabine---I know I shall see Mr Nosille again some day.

    Petra---Thank you for your comments---I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!

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