R.I.P.
Harvey Emerson Brooks
=======
My beloved big brother Harvey died June 5, 2008. He was 15 years old and his heart just gave out. I will miss him terribly. He was my best friend and my mentor. He was brave and macho and loved protect me at the dog park. I’m kind of shy and submissive and Harvey taught me to channel my inner guard dog self.My mom Louise adopted Harvey when he was 12 weeks old.
He had been thrown out of a car onto a freeway off-ramp and she agreed to foster him until he found a home. She already had a dog named Cody, an Alaskan malamute who was 6 moths old. Harvey fell in love with my mom and Cody. They grew up together.
Then when my mom Susan came into the family, she loved Harvey and Cody so much she made them dress up and look stupid at Christmas.
Harvey was always patient with me ... even when I was a little bitty puppy and used to chew and bite and want him to chase me around all the time. (Can you believe I was ever this little?)
And even the CATS loved him ... well, at least Birdy and Walden did!
Harvey’s death took us all by surprise. On the day he died, my Moms were on their way to a wedding in New Hampshire. Before they left, my Mom Louise took us for our usual “morning constitutional” to the dog park. That morning at the park, Harve was perky, tried to chase other dogs who were bugging me and got petted by our many human friends. When we got home, he immediately chowed down his breakfast and lurked over me til I reluctantly finished mine so he wouldn’t eat it. Then the Mommies left, giving us our favorite bones, hugged us real good and told us to guard the house til they got home.
Harve and I immediately settled into our guard dog modes … feigning sleeping soundly so as to surprise any would-be burglars.
But all was not well. When our Aunt Stasia (who was taking care of us while our moms were away) came home, Harvey came in the house and went right under the bed. They wouldn't let me in where he was but I heard Stasia saying that he was breathing really hard ... panting and panting. And then his heart just gave up and he went to Dog Heaven.
It was hard enough for us here to deal with, but our poor moms were on an airplane (that had been delayed for five hours before it took off for Boston!) and nobody could get them on their cell phones. When they finally got the news it was 2 a.m. and they were devastated.
So now we're all trying to figure out what life AH looks like ("After Harvey"). I know we're all grateful that he lived as long as he did and was such a good friend and companion.
He was so patient ... with not only me but my moms who took such pleasure in humiliating him by dressing him up for just about every occasion.
And he taught me everything I needed to know to be the Queen of the Dog Park ... 
We've been blessed to have him in our family and his memory will live on even now that he's gone to Dog Heaven which I think is a REALLY big dog park and Harvey is romping there with our friends who have gone before: Kenneth and Cody and Molly and Cuthbert and Blue and many, many others.We love you Harvey!
