I know that all the football fans out there were hoping for a story about our outstanding former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley. I am sorry to disappoint. I bet Saquon already is getting tired of all the constant attention and everything being written about him in the New York media now that he is a Giant. I think I speak for most of the Nittany Nation in saying I am confident that Saquon will handle it all with class and will be a success in the NFL.
The good news is that you get another episode of “The Adventures of Barkley the Dog” from his self-proclaimed best friend — me.
Oh my daughter will argue that she is really Barkley’s BFF, but in all honesty, she has to settle for the No. 2 position on this chart. Barkley and I are almost inseparable.
Just a few weeks until his first birthday, and having survived 8 months in the Battista household, “the little puppy that liked to escape,” is growing up. Emphasis on growing.
When we first met Barkley at Centre County PAWS, he was a cute-as-a-button, 20-pound, four month old puppy with this amazing mask on his face that made us instantly fall in love with him. Best guesstimates for the South Carolina native were that he’d max out at 40-45 pounds. Barkley had other plans. He is taller, longer, and at 70 lean, strong pounds, he is heavier than any of us could have predicted. Friends have described him as handsome, majestic, beautiful, and a “Scooby-Do0” look-alike.
Since I get to work from home most days, I know him as my constant companion, attached at the hip, best friend. He lays down right beside me at my feet when I am at my desk working and usually puts his head right on my foot to make sure that I know that I am not going anywhere without him waking up.
He has spent so much time with me while I was doing research and writing my book that he should be listed as a co-author. Actually, he is listed in the acknowledgment section for providing me the unconditional support a first-time author needs. When I say a sentence out loud in his direction I typically get a wagging tongue or wagging tail reaction, which I take as a sign of approval. Occasionally I will get the quizzical, tilted head with a raised ear, and it’s amazing how many times I look back at him and say, “Yeah, you’re right, that doesn’t make sense.”
As a refresher for those who may not have read my past columns about the adventures of Barkley, we lost our long-time friend and companion Sportster after 14 years last September. Let’s just say that Sportster and I had a “unique” relationship that got better over time (like his last four years) and I would be hard-pressed to say that he and I were best buds. After he passed away and we swore we would never get another dog, Barkley came into our lives less than a month later. I have truly found “man’s best friend” this time around.
Barkly has come a long way since the first few months when he “escaped” twice and caused us some anxious moments. He is still a bit skittish around strangers and sometimes doesn’t know his own strength, and he can play a little rough. But the vast majority of time he has been such a joy in our lives. Especially mine.
I enjoy taking him on long walks and hanging out with him because you get unconditional love in return. He doesn’t judge. He doesn’t get mad. He doesn’t want money. And he doesn’t fight with me over the remote control. I saw a post on Facebook recently that proclaimed, “Marriage is the equivalent of exchanging the adoration of many for the sarcasm of one.” Not that I believe that to be true in my marriage (snicker, snicker, wink, wink), but rest assured I know I will never have to worry about that from Barkley.
He will listen to me practicing a speech and won’t take a phone call or start looking at social media, something I am too often guilty of myself. He will wait patiently for me and he is excellent at reminding me when it’s time to go out and play, especially when it means a visit with his pals Penny and Trey across the street at the Frittons. At the mere mention of the name Penny, the excitement and anticipation build as he knows he is going to a play date in a sizeable fenced in backyard where he can run at top speed and try to steal Penny’s tennis ball from her.
There isn’t a day that goes by when Barkley doesn’t bring a smile to my face and remind me to slow down and enjoy life. I took him on a walk yesterday with the beautiful Memorial Day weather and we stopped and sat on a large rock under a tree off the bike path in our Stonebridge development. I was listening to some classic Eagles music and composing this column, with my best friend laying down at my feet in the cool shade. It was picture perfect, relaxing, and made writing this column a joy.
When I lay down to get ready to turn in, Barkley will curl up at my feet at the end of the bed and just gently lay his head on my leg. He will occasionally even throw a paw over my leg just to be sure I know he’s with me. He rarely disturbs our sleep and his smiling face and wagging tail greets us in the morning. Yeah I know we shouldn’t let him sleep on our bed, according to the “experts,” but I sleep like a baby and we just love having him with us.
He’s everything you want in a best friend. He’s a great listener, loyal, loves to have fun, likes to exercise, and always brings a smile to my face. Yep, I am one lucky guy to be Barkley’s best friend.
