The boy, who was my son Robbie, and the dog, Tiffany, had met at the Mercer County Animal shelter when they both were about one year old. When their eyes met, it was clear to everyone that they were meant for each other.

Over the next six years many of my best memories were formed around the boy and his dog.

Tiffany watched over Robbie as he grew and began to explore his world. She was always nearby. Whenever I drew back the curtain and looked out - if I saw one of them, the other would always be close.

When Robbie's sisters Sarah, Andrea, and Robin were at school, Tiffany was there to be his playmate. You can only imagine the adventures the two shared - battling pirates, aliens, playing cowboys and Indians and even exploring darkest Africa.

Robbie grew and went off to preschool. Tiffany waited patiently at home. Robbie made friends and his interests and world grew, but Tiffany remained his confidant and the friend that he could tell all his secrets. She could be trusted not to reveal his innermost thoughts.

Then Robbie entered kindergarten.

He went out the gate each morning and boarded the big yellow school bus with his sisters. He was gone a little longer and perhaps spent a little less time with Tiffany. If she ever minded or felt neglected she did not let her feelings show. I will always remember her waiting patiently at the gate when she knew it was time for the bus. When Robbie came through the gate Tiffany would jump and run around his feet to let him know just how happy shw was to see him.

Tiffany became an outdoor dog and would refuse to enter the house unless there was a thunder storm or in the very worst winter weather. Then she would want back out at the earliest possbile moment.

One of my family's favorite memories is Tiffany running in the door and hiding under the bed when she heard the first clap of thunder. The only way to get her out of hiding was for Robbie to lure her out with sandwich meat. And if he was not quick enough, she would have the meat and be back under the bed. Of course everyone thought this was the funniest sight.

Robbie learned to read and took great delight in reading to the dog. She would sit patiently and listen to her young master's voice. It didn't matter if a word was missed or perhaps not pronounced correctly. He didn't mind that she couldn't help him with the hard words or guess what would happen next in the story. They were spending time together. When the story was finished and the book was returned to the house, they would run off to play once again.

The only time Tiffany would get jealous was when Robbie would send her to the backyard so he could lure "his" bluejays out of the old maple tree in front of the house. He had them tamed and they would land at his feet and eat bread from his hand. He even managed to get one to sit on his shoulder from time to time.

Robbie always had a way with animals and I will never forget him handing me a baby snake with a huge smile on his two-year-old face or the time he caught a field mouse in the yard and came running in to show me his new "hamster."

When Robbie had finished with the birds Tiffany would quickly forgive him for sending her away and they would go off to play or just sit quietly together. They had all the time in the world.

Then one summer day Robbie left the dog's side never to return and my memories became bittersweet.

Tiffany, just like the rest of us, didn't understand what happened. She only knew that he had gone away. She would lay in a corner of the yard and refuse to come when called. She grieved in her way as the rest of us grieved in ours.

Life - as it has a way of doing - went on. Our life had changed so drastically. Sarah, Andrea, and Robin grew up and we had a new child, Emily.

Tiffany watched her and played with her, but it was not the same as having a boy for a master.

Tiffany aged and her black fur became streaked with gray, she could barely hear and her sight was not so great. Other dogs came and went in our family, but none were ever as special as Tiffany -- she was Robbie's dog.

Then, one night six years to the day that her master left, Tiffany departed this world.

I like to imagine that in a special corner of heaven a little boy with curly brown hair and his shaggy dog are playing in the sun. <©> 1998 Tazewell County Free Press

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Grave Robbers

Ancient Egyptians decorated their tombs with elaborate hieroglyphics that predicted death and destruction to anyone who would dare to desecrate their final resting places.

Of course the threat of a curse never stopped the ancient grave robbers or today's archaeologists, who some would call modern day grave robbers, even though many have met with strange, sudden and mysterious deaths. After all -- it's just superstition.

Today, I write about a modern day grave robber who, while not actually breaking into graves, is stealing from local cemeteries. Yes, as unbelievable and ugly as that sounds it does happen in our community and it happened to my son's grave sometime July 5th or 6th.

I had read of others having arrangements stolen and had been told that was why many families only put minimal inexpensive flowers on the graves of their loved ones. But since in the seven years that I have been decorating my son's final resting-place I have never had to experience this form of disrespect, I was shocked to find the arrangement missing from the headstone.

I find it ironic that the very first decoration I made for the grave was a basket full of red, white and blue flowers with a small teddy bear in the middle. That arrangement was also for Independence Day.

The decorations had only been in place a few days.It wasn't anything ornate -- only a Styrofoam teddy bear -- teddy bears were Robbie's favorite thing in the whole, wide world -- holding an American flag in each hand, surrounded by red, white and blue flowers and some greenery. There was also some large picks in silver, gold, red , white, and blue that made it look as ifthe bear was standing in front of a fireworks display.I had made it for the Fourth of July -- one of my son Robbie's favorite holidays, because he loved to watch the local fireworks displays. He had also developed a great respect for our nations flag. He had learned about it in school and had proudly taken part in the patriotic choir program following the end of Desert Storm where each child was presented with a small U.S. flag that he treasured.

I hope whoever took the arrangement enjoys it. They must be in great need to steal from a cemetery.

I can't help but wonder if they took it because they fell in love with the little bear, or did they plan on selling it. Perhaps they felt the need to take from my son in order to decorate the grave of someone they loved. Or were they just being mean and took the arrangement to hurt someone? If that was the case they most certainly succeed.

The wildest reason I can imagine anyone removing the arrangement is that they figured it was after July 4th and we would be happy they had helped us out by removing the seasonal arrangement.

Whatever their reason for robbing my son's grave site I will be keeping a close watch on the obituaries for any mysterious, sudden, unexplained deaths. After all, we live in the Appalachian Mountains where superstition and cemeteries are treated with respect.<©>Tazewell County Free Press

If I Had Only Known

By Reba McEntire

If I had only known it was the last walk in the rain,

I’d keep you out for hours in the storm.

I would hold your hand, like a life line to my heart.

Underneath the thunder we’d be warm.

If I had only known it was the last walk in the rain.

If I had only known I’d never hear your voice again,

I’d memorize each thing you’ve ever said.

And on those lonely nights, I could think of you once more.

Keep your words alive inside my head.

If I had only known I’d never hear your voice again.

You were the treasure in my hand.

You were the one who always stood beside me.

So unaware, I foolishly believed that you would always be there.

But then there came a day,

And I turned my head and you slipped away.

If I had only known it was my last night by your side,

I’d pray a miracle stop the dawn.

And when you smiled at me I would look into your eyes

And make sure you know my love for you goes on and on.

If I had only known,

If I had only known,

The love I would have shown, if I had only known.

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Home:

Welcome to my site and doors to all other pages.

Christmas Everyday:

How loosing a child has changed my outlook on life.

Emily's page:

The little sister born a year after Robbie's death.

Robbie's Picture Album:

See Robbie grow, his final resting place and how our lives have gone on.

Robin:

Sarah:


Andrea:

Robbie's Web Rings:

Rings to other grief sites.

Robbie's Awards:

We are happy to have recieved so many wonder awards for Robbie's site.

Teddy Bear Rings:

Rings to site for Teddy bears. Robbie's passion.

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Robbie's Mom

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