My Best Friend

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From the time of 9years old to about 15years old, I had a dog named Gulliver. He was a Pitbull/bulldog mix and he was absolutely amazing and we did everything together. We played tag, hid and seek, chase, and tug of war. I loved Gulliver more then anything in the world and I knew he loved me more. He was not only my best friend, he was my brother, my protector.

One day I started to take him for a walk on our normal route around the block. Little did I know, we would not even make it to the end of the street. I started to walk Gulliver and saw two teenage boys on the other side of the street. I paid no attention to them but they seemed very interested in me.

I did not notice because I was just happy to be out of the house, at least until I heard them say, "Hey girl, how you doing?" I turned my head slightly to the right to see who was talking to me. As I did so, the two that I had passed from the other side were crossing the street and coming towards me.

Even though they looked like high schoolers, I was not, I was in the 7th grade and had no real interest in boys...unless they took an interest in me first. So me being the giddy little 14year old girl taking a notice from two older kids was kind of cool.

So I turned around and said, "I am doing good, how about you?" trying to be polite because that was how I was raised. They said, "Yeah we good," as they looked me up and down, smiling, and nodding to each other, then one of them said, "yo I like your dog" Now pause for moment and be mindful, that the whole time this very short conversation was happening, Gulliver was growling, and getting more anxious by every step they took towards me.

After the one said he liked my dog, he reached in to try and pet him. Gulliver didn't like that and gave him a warning lurch and snapped his jaw. Then lunged at the other kid that went to the other side of me, that I did not even see, and I got scared and started backing up, holding tight to his leash.

That's when Gulliver not only growled but started barking really loud and this time tried attacking both boys while also pushing his body against mine making me move backwards away from them. Well, the one that tried to grab me from behind tried to get close again, and Gulliver would have bit him if I hadn't kept a good grip on his leash.

I didn't know it at the time, but those boys had bad intentions for me and thinking that my dog would allow them to pet him, was a bad idea and scared both of them off, calling me a bitch because my dog wouldn't let them get close to me and could smell their bad intentions.

I will always remember that day and even though my precious Gulliver is not longer on this earth, I thank him every chance I remember him for saving me and protecting me. That is a memory that has changed the way I see the world and how I see the way people approach me. A couple months later my dad gave him away, saying he couldn't afford to take care of him. I cried for weeks, missing my best friend, only to find out, he was put down 3years later for biting someone who was abusive to him. I unfortunately, did not find out until 2years after it happened when I asked my dad how he was doing. I cried so hard and wanted to find that person so I could give him the same treatment.

My Gulliver was a special kind of dog that could tell just by looking at you if you were a good person or not. And he was not shy to show you exactly what he thought of you and he would never truly bite someone unless absolutely necessary, at most he would just growl at you to let you know he did not like you, every time you tried to come close him, weather you were always around him or not. If he didn't like you, he meant it and kept that attitude towards you.

That is my wonderful memory of my very Best Friend Gulliver. R.I.P. my protector. I will always love you and I miss you so so much that it still hurts to think about how your beautiful life was ended. You were the best pet I had ever had and I still have not found a pet that will ever take your title, My Best Friend, Gulliver.