Ten years ago today I finally did something right. The morning of February 4, 2000, he was dog #4170 at TJ O’Connor shelter in Springfield, MA. He had a sign on his pen that said “I am a very good dog, but I am VERY scared.” He didn’t want to get in the car with me, and the officer at the shelter had to help me wrestle him in. By the time we got home, he was Sam. He was skinny, wormy, and had a BB in his rear flank which the vet pulled out at his first check up. I was living at mom’s at the time and she could tell you about the chewed things and the time he busted out through the screen door when we went out in the canoe on the pond behind her house. She was very patient. I guess she knew getting Sam was important to me. Anyway, Sammy and me have been roomeys ever since. I think I know someone who might get a little bit of cheese with his dinner tonight . . .