I am 4 years older than my oldest brother Buster so I remember being the youngest in the family for a long time. We lived in Modesto CA at the time this memory was made. My Mom, Dad and I lived in a small house behind my mother’s parents and two of her brothers, Blue and Darrell.Blue was in the army and Darrell was still in high school. One day Uncle Blue brought home two puppies and gave one to me. I named mine Spottie. Spottie was so cute but just a little black and white mutt. She was scared of me so it was very difficult for me to show my affection to her. Being just 3 or 4, I am sure my ideas of showing affection may have been just a little over whelming for the pup. For some reason Uncle Blue's little pup was not afraid of me and much easier to catch. I would persuade him to come to me and shortly afterward curiosity would get the most of Spottie and she would come close enough for me to apprehend. One day she wondered in the street where she got hit by a car. I remember sitting in the back seat of the car with the box Mom had put her in. Mom kept looking sadly at me and pup as she drove and as I asked questions she tried to reassure me that we were taking her to the puppy hospital where she could get well. I talked to Spottie all the way to the hospital telling her that Mom was taking her to get well. This memory of Mom's face and her expressions of concern for me and Spottie are what stand out in my memory the most now. I don't remember Spottie ever coming home but I have never forgotten the memory of Mom's concern for me and Spottie.
