I returned to Texas tired from the trip, still in a mental fog, and trying to make sense of something I couldn't comprehend. So my mind wandered. I day dreamed a lot. And memories of Tyler both short and long term trickled through my thoughts.
That week, roughly three years ago, I decided I wanted a bulldog. I am not sure when the idea to purchase a bulldog popped into my head. Purchasing a bulldog is certainly not a rational decision. Bulldogs are expensive. Bulldogs require lots of maintenance - both mental and physical. Bulldog owners are a vet's best customer. Bulldogs are stubborn. Bulldogs shed. Bulldogs slobber on everything. Bulldogs snore. Loudly. All of these characteristics were clearly described in the online research I did, but I either discounted these drawbacks or chose to ignore them. I wanted a bulldog.
Part of the reason I wanted a bulldog was attributable to Tyler. He always said that he was going to get a bulldog when he had his own place. I think Rob Dyrdek's Meaty inspired him. Much of my desire however was personal. Intuitively I knew I needed something to distract me from the constant pain I felt. I knew a dog would not replace Tyler, not a chance, not ever. But perhaps a puppy could give me a reason to smile and give me something to nurture and love.
I surfaced the idea with Cheryl and Courtney. It wasn't fair to ask Cheryl to do anything at that time. She was in no position to make any decision but she gave me a reluctant approval, likely because she knew by then that when I get something in my head, it's hard to change my mind. Courtney was adamant that getting a bulldog was a terrible idea and she had some good reasons for feeling that way. But I pushed ahead and located a breeder in Princeton, Texas that had a litter available.
Shortly thereafter we loaded up and headed to see the puppy I had picked out online. The breeder had a box of what appeared to be small rats, but on closer inspection they turned out to be bulldog puppies. I quickly found the puppy I had picked out online and held this little peanut in my hands and I knew I had to have him. We gave the breeder a deposit and headed home. I could tell that my girls weren't completely on board but a decision had been made.
Courtney remained outwardly doubtful but I could tell that seeing the puppy in person had helped. But she really wasn't convinced until we aligned on a name. Many suggestions were thrown out and many were shot down. Finally we landed on Seargent TJ Sullivan - Sully for short. Perfect name and the name finally got Courtney over the hump. The TJ reference is obvious and Sullivan was a direct tie to Texas A&M and Sul Ross. And there was the reference to Monsters Inc. So Sully it was and Courtney was on board.
September 28th, 2011 was the first time we would celebrate Tyler's birthday without him. We visited his grave that morning and went to the casino that afternoon. We had decided that we would always try to do something fun on Tyler's birthday. After the casino we headed to Princeton to pick up Sully. There is absolutely nothing cuter than a 8 week old bulldog puppy. We loaded him up and headed back to Arlington. Sully was being held by Cheryl and he crawled up and nuzzled his face into Cheryl's neck and at that point Cheryl was on board.
Sully turned three this week. Hard to believe the monster has been part of our lives for three years and harder still to believe we have been separated from Tyler for that long as well. Sully has certainly lived up to the drawbacks of the breed that were described online and that I was quick to dismiss. He was and continues to be expensive. He requires daily grooming and maintenance. He has had multiple surgeries. He eats (and poops) a lot. He does have gas. He does shed and he does slobber.
But that dog has been a true blessing in our lives. Like all dogs Sully shows unconditional love for his humans. Sully has put smiles on our faces when we had no reason to smile. Sully has challenged us and he has enriched our lives. Again, he hasn't replaced Tyler and we didn't expect him to. But he has eased some of our pain and given us a reason to chuckle when we need it most.
So happy birthday Sully Monster. Here's hoping we spend many more with you!
