Dad, Uncle Dorn, and Pretzel

Growing up my dad and his family had a dog named Pretzel. According to the stories my Dad, Uncle Dorn, and Aunt Ann, Pretzel was a wonder dog. Pretzel could do anything. He protected them in the Jungle, he could count, he followed each of the kids to school one at a time to different schools. There is a story about him howling on time and in key during the kids Christmas concert.

Dad told me that he can always remember how broken up his family was when Pretzel died. It stood out to him how hard it was on his sister Ann. He told me that he did not want to have a dog for his family because of this memory. He worried that his
daughters would be hurt the same way.



It is interesting to me that Uncle Dorn reacted to Pretzel in a direct opposite. Uncle Dorn has always owned a dog. From the time he had a house he had a dog. There are lots of stories of his kids bringing home a new dog right after the last dog died. Those feelings of lost never lasted long.

When I was home last summer we talked about Pretzel again. I told him that Kate wants to get a dog. When Pretzel came up in conversation I told Dad that it was him he never got over Pretzel. He said, "Damn Straight I never got over that dog." We both laughed over this. I am not sure why this stands out to me, but it does.

I think there is something in this idea. Maybe it is because Dad was the oldest and he always felt responsible for other people. Maybe it is because Dorn was the middle child and he did not feel he always had to be in control. There is some idea here.