by James E. Muse
This is not the story I would like to have written about this four-legged family member. No, that story would have had a different ending, or in this case a different beginning. So, starting with the bad news is the only way to deal with not having to tell you in the end. We lost Sunny Boy on Labor Day weekend this past year. He was bringing joy to a group of disadvantaged teens at a group home where my son-in-law is a teacher/mentor. At some point Sunny, an almost teen Old English Sheepdog, gobbled a chunk of rawhide bone, which later in the evening became lodged somewhere it shouldn’t have. Sunny went to sleep that evening in the arms of Joey, as the rest of the family slept. A quiet passage for such an exuberant dog.
Sunny, we love you and miss you.
Let’s back up 12 years to Boulder, Colorado, where my son-in-law to be, Joey, received a bundle of fur from a friend. It was love at first sight. Soon Sunny became entwined in the lives of my daughter Jamey and Joey and everything they did.
I got to take Jamey and Joey to their first String Cheese Incident concert, back in ‘97. I had no idea how that would change their lives or Sunny’s. On the road, following the music over many summers to come, Sunny was always there taking up the back seat. The old VW Golf or the Subaru Outback, both victims of hundreds of thousands of miles, criss-crossing the country and following the endless touring of jam bands: Widespread Panic, String Cheese and Phish, a musical smorgasboard that would take Sunny to 50 states.
Back in those days Joey was working as a dog groomer, and supported these summer escapades by grooming other pooches on the venue parking lots. It’s not that Sunny would have qualified for the cover of Doggie Do magazine; no, his look was more “rastafurrian.” Being shaved from the head back for the summer, his only hair of length were his dreadlocks – generally about a foot long and adorned with beads and ribbons, which enhanced his already colorful disposition and distinctive look. Did I mention he had one brown eye and one blue eye?
If this weren’t enough to garner attention, Sunny took up skateboarding. If you’ve ever had your longboard poached by a dog that rides better than you, chances are you’ve met Sunny. His numerous trips on borrowed boards entertained thousands in parking lots across the country. And yeah, he could hit the skate park, too. The homemade half-pipe in the back yard did allow dogs, and I would witness Sunny making his way up the tranny then turning to ride back down to flat. He had endless energy and style, which he loved to share.
After Joey and Jamey finished college and went into the means of supporting their two children, Ella and Myles, also “festivarians,” Sunny settled into home life just fine. A faithful, loving protector and companion to the children, Sunny was the nucleus of a family that couldn’t have been the same without him.
They all came out to visit us in Maysville this past summer for Jamey’s birthday. We had a great day of hiking, rockhounding and playing in the mountains. Sunny looked right at home. All he needed were a few sheep to herd, but he was happy to have us for his flock instead. Even with his aging hips he was eager to climb those peaks in search of crystals to adorn his famous dreads.
That evening we had gathered some local musician friends for a little pickin’ party. Since my daughter plays mandolin, she got the chance to play with some of my buds and vice versa. It was way cool. Sunny thought so, too. He was just taking it all in, after a satisfying day in the beautiful Colorado sunshine. Sunny. He never met a dog or cat or other critter that he couldn’t get along with – living up to his name, being Sunny. Yep, he seemed wonderfully content that evening, hanging out listening to great acoustic music, and making new friends. All while keeping the brown eye on the cat and the blue eye on the horizon.
James E. Muse claims he cannot play the electric guitar but sounds pretty good on a Stratocaster.
