Tuesday, July 7, 2009

When Scamper Went to Live on the Farm

I'll admit I'm a bit naive. Occasionally a little gullible. I have my over-trusting moments. But there is one story that my kids will never let me live down. They enjoy being wiser than their dear old mom, because she is obviously living in La-La Land sometimes.

Scamper was our family dog when I was little. Great little dog. I remember his silky coat and playfulness.

Scamper went to live on a farm one day.

I used to think wistfully of Scamper. Romping about in the wide open spaces. He must have been so happy there! Chasing squirrels and barking at sheep or whatever livestock they had on that farm. It wasn't until I was in my mid-30s, on the phone with my sister one day that the truth came out.

You're not going to believe this, but Scamper never actually went to a farm. The truth was so horrible that my family actually lied to me. My sister thought I knew. She joked about it.

I'm still traumatized. I told my kids about it one time and they think it's absolutely hilarious that I actually believed the farm story well into my adult life.

I'm sticking to my guns and hanging on to those happy fantasy memories. Good old Scamper.

I bet he loved to run around the barn and chase the chickens.

8 people stopped folding laundry to write:

LauraC said...

My dad's nickname is Turtle and he always told me he got that nickname bc he ran a marathon once and the only people he beat was a person on crutches and someone in a wheelchair. I believed that story until I was in my mid-20s!

WIDNEY WOMAN said...

Innocence is golden. I will be 40 in a few months. As a result of your story, it is now occurring to me that I was told my brother's dog was going to live on a farm. I believed that story until now. 35 years. I think a phone call to my sister is in order.

I am a firm believer all 'good' dogs go to Heaven and therefore Scamper and Toro are likely running around Heaven right now, chasing squirrels and wondering where the cats are at...

magda said...

Aw. My mother did give away our dog to some friends who had a farm, but he died a few days later. I was convinced it was of a broken heart.

In terms of gullibility, though, I remember being mad at my father when he told me a story about how he died--and then had the nerve to laugh at me while I was crying for him! (I was six.)

Laura said...

Oh that's so sad. I think I was told the same thing about the ducks we had in college...but at least by then I was old enough to be suspicious.

The Mother said...

My kids laugh at me regularly too.

They even caught me once with that old practical joke:

"Hey, Mom, did you know there's no such word as 'gullible?'

Dagnabit.

Lisa said...

Your sister was just lying to you. (Sisters are mean like that.) The dog is fine.

Cheryl Lage said...

Seriously. Scamper not only lived (and perhaps STILL lives) blissfully on the farm, but served as a visual inspiration for various animated features, so his image and personality extend to the corners of the globe.

There. I'm right there with you. :)

Patty said...

I feel really bad because I am such a dog person and I know how hard it is to lose one of them, but when someone brings up the farm story, it always makes me laugh and I don't know why. I am a sick-o.

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