Mike
Steven and Mike
on november 23, 1975 my older brother mike committed suicide. he was schizophrenic and i truly believe he did this to prevent my mother from suffering through the illness with him. he did this in the family living room, a place where he was loved and comfortable. i found him. he used a 22 rifle with a hollow point bullet. i had just gotten out of the military where i had been in vietnam and yom kippur. fast forward to november 19th, 2003. my mom had emphysema, and was in a hospice. november 19, 1970 is the day i went into the military. i was at her side as i watched her struggle to live, she loved life. at the time i kept thinking, she's trying to live to november 23. i didn't tell my 3 brothers or sister. on november 23 she left us to go meet up with her third son mike in heaven. from above i believe she directed me to the SFSPCA. i had no intention of getting a dog. while i was driving across town, i got an odd tingling sensation on the back of my head, found myself turning my truck around and parking at the SPCA. i walked in and all the puppies and dogs went crazy wanting me to pick them to take home. that is, all but one. he turned his back on my and wouldn't look at me. i tapped the glass he moved further away, looking back with anxiety. you see, that's exactly how my brother mike treated me growing up. he was my nemesis. he was cruel and extraordiarily mean to me. i don't mean big brother little brother mean. i mean thug mean. i survived and thrive to this day and i have my dog mike with me everywhere i go. last summer mike developed cataracts and was 80% blind. i took him to dog eye specialists where he had surgery to remove the cataracts and new lenses put in. he thanks me everyday for adopting him. i believe it was a path created by my mom from the "otherside" who wanted her living son to forgive the son who had had a difficult and complicated life, and i do. i love my dog, mike.