Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    My Pal Shep
    My Pal Shep
    My Pal Shep
    Ebook88 pages1 hour

    My Pal Shep

    By Vince Iuliano

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    In 1968, the world was watching Captain Kangaroo and Dark Shadows. In Ronkonkoma, Long Island life was simple and carefree. Shep - our German Shepherd-Collie - came along at just the right time.
    For pet owners and pet lovers worldwide, no explanation is necessary. A good family pet becomes part of the family, part of the fabric of our lives. Its loss can be devastating - so we celebrate our lives together, and the important role these special dogs play in them. Relive the late 1960's - their turbulent times, life in the suburbs, and an appreciation of a special time and a very special family pet. 
    Shep was the name of our family pet. What was yours?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherVince Iuliano
    Release dateOct 29, 2015
    ISBN9781519988430
    My Pal Shep
    Author

    Vince Iuliano

    Freelance writer. Staunch crusader for truth, justice and the American Way..(writes under various names. You could be reading me right now, and not know it!)

    Read more from Vince Iuliano

    Related to My Pal Shep

    Related ebooks

    Essays & Narratives For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Count Your Chickens

      Mar 5, 2018

      Count Your Chickens
      5 min read

    • Article

      Little House

      Jun 5, 2023

      On Monday nights our mother made popcorn and served it to us in mugs with milk poured over. My younger sister and I carried our mugs into the family room and ate the popcorn with spoons, like cereal. We were five and seven. Until we were allowed to s

      21 min read

    • Article

      How Dementia Saved Mum & Me

      Mar 31, 2021

      How Dementia Saved Mum & Me
      5 min read

    • Article

      Care Companions

      Jul 25, 2019

      Care Companions
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Southern Christmas

      Nov 1, 2023

      A Southern Christmas
      7 min read

    • Article

      In Dogs We Trust

      Jan 18, 2022

      In Dogs We Trust
      6 min read

    • Article

      Princess Bari

      Apr 15, 2019

      Princess Bari
      6 min read

    • Article

      My First Pet

      Feb 2, 2020

      My First Pet
      9 min read

    • Article

      BITS & PIECES

      Apr 4, 2023

      My father, Basil, was a hardworking West Virginia coal miner, so as a form of relaxation, he would do anything to make people laugh. For example, when my mom, Rachel, my sister, Brenda, and I prepared dinner, we all wore aprons that tied in the back.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Care Companions

      Feb 24, 2020

      Care Companions
      6 min read

    • Article

      After “The End”

      Oct 10, 2022

      I walked down the road with a hunched back and a wet cigarette in my mouth—the fire had died a while back. My hands were tucked into the pockets of my jacket, and my hair fell over my face, limiting my sight. But I wasn’t really seeing where I was go

      10 min read

    • Article

      WINNERS APRIL 2023 STORY CONTEST Pet

      Sep 1, 2023

      Danah Jang, age 10Westlake, OH Finn, the Goat Picasso I had a tawny-colored goat named Finn. I raised him after finding him in the fields. He was in poor condition, calling out with miserable, piercing wails. The heart-melting scene convinced me to

      9 min read

    • Article

      Happy Endings

      Sep 1, 2023

      Happy Endings
      5 min read

    • Article

      Shanda

      Jan 1, 2024

      Shanda
      13 min read

    • Article

      This Back Is a Familiar Back

      May 1, 2023

      This Back Is a Familiar Back
      8 min read

    • Article

      ‘Toni, It’s Mum. There’s Been An Accident’

      Oct 13, 2021

      Edited extract from Lost & Found: My story of heartbreak and hope by Toni Street with Sophie Neville Like many teenage boys, Stephen loved sport and he loved hanging out with his mates. But he was happiest out on the farm with Dad. They were a tight

      11 min read

    • Article

      Robin Abcarian: Parenting A Child Again Is A Challenge, A Joy And A Lesson About Who Comes First

      May 2, 2019

      It's not very often that you get a chance to relive something as profound as parenting a young child, but quite out of the blue four months ago, a little girl I love came to live with me. She is a close relative, and the circumstances that brought he

      4 min read

    • Article

      AfterWORDS

      Dec 15, 2020

      TINY TRUTHS from winners of the daily #cnftweet contest Can you tell a true story in a single tweet? To join in the fun, follow us @cnfonline and tag your entries with #cnftweet. Your micro-essay could appear in the next issue of CNF! evorbachcollins

      3 min read

    • Article

      Breaking POINT

      Nov 1, 2022

      Breaking POINT
      6 min read

    • Article

      Season Of Goodwill? (You Might Need It)

      Nov 8, 2023

      CHRISTMAS is on the way and those of us with parrots have a lot extra to decide in the way of activities, extra food, presents, guests and so on. My first two parrots, the African greys Artha and Casper, taught me far more than I taught them. Althoug

      4 min read

    • Article

      Power Of A Pup

      Jan 24, 2020

      Power Of A Pup
      6 min read

    • Article

      Power Of A Pup

      Jun 25, 2022

      Power Of A Pup
      6 min read

    • Article

      Dognapped

      Mar 24, 2021

      Dognapped
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Wolf

      Nov 6, 2018

      The Wolf
      12 min read

    • Article

      School Zoo

      Aug 3, 2023

      School Zoo
      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for My Pal Shep

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      My Pal Shep - Vince Iuliano

      One .

      ––––––––

      We found him through word of mouth.

      Mom said that one of her customers at the bank told her they had  a dog who just delivered puppies, did we want to look at them?

      My parents talked it over that night and of course we three waited with bated breath. The next day after my parents got home from work, we took a drive over.

      It was just after 5:30 when we arrived. The afternoon sky was still light blue with very few clouds. It was the start of summer, and balmy.

      The house was like any other on Long Island: an ivory ranch with a short brown-green lawn and a small backyard. A woman stood at the side of the house behind the screen door, waiting for us. My brother and sister looked at each other with suppressed excitement as little yelps and squeaks from the puppies could be heard behind the woman’s legs. 

      Hello there, she said unenthusiastically as we climbed out of the back seat to join my parents at the base of her stone steps. Maybe this will work a whole lot better if I just bring them out to see you.

      She scooped up three pups in her arms. Her daughter followed grudgingly with a fourth. They walked outside and put the pups on the top of the steps. Immediately they began to climb over each other for our attention. They nipped at each other’s ears and wagging tails. Yipping and whelping like wind-up toys with their pink tongues curled behind tiny sharp teeth.

      Except for the fourth pup, who sort of hung back and watched his brothers and sisters perform.

      It was a tough decision. The three acrobatic pups captivated we kids as they tumbled and rolled against each other for our attention. We laughed as they fell like tiny clowns into each other, rolling and tumbling in our laps.

      Mother wanted us to make the final decision but it was obvious from the jump that she favored the fourth sad pup. This one needs a lot of love, she said, scooping him up in one arm, cradling him in her arms. See how timid he looks as I brush his head ?

      And it was true.

      Each time Mom stroked the little pup’s head, he closed his eyes and snuggled close against her. Pretty soon we’d forgotten the clown pups and were focused on the sad little puppy in my mother’s arms.

      We all agreed that this one needed more love than the others.

      My father paid the woman and we got into the back seat of the car: my brother and I on window seats, sis in the middle. My mother held the small pup on her lap where it seemed to be sleeping, and we strained from the back seat to watch him the entire ride.

      It was nearly dusk when we arrived home.

      ****

      Dad went downstairs and returned with the bottom of a large corrugated box, which he had cut in half with a utility knife.

      Mom raided the hall linen closet for a soft towel and some small hand towels. She took her wind-up aluminum alarm clock with its black face and the iridescent glow of its sweeping ivory hands, and wound its rear key tightly before wrapping it carefully in a towel.

      In case he wakes up in the middle of the night and wants to see what time it is? I said, ever the comedian. 

      The ticking sounds like a heartbeat, Mom explained. Its reassuring to him if he wakes up and feels lonely.  It reminds him of his mother’s heartbeat.

      We took turns tearing up strips of newspaper and laying them inside the box.

      What if he jumps out in the middle of the night? my brother said. What if he poops on Vincent’s head?

      He won’t be able to jump that high, my mother said, ignoring his coarser line of reasoning.

      My father placed the young pup inside the box and we all stood around, looking down at him. He seemed content to scramble and play in the confetti.

      After an hour of watching Shep scramble and roll around in his new temporary playground, we wandered off to bed. The more we continued to excite the pup, Mom explained, the later it would take for him to get some needed rest.

      What if he doesn’t fall asleep? my sister wondered.

      He’ll sleep, Mom said. It’s been a rough day for this little guy.

      We all stood around watching Shep gambol in the shredded paper. Finally it

      was really  time to go to bed. I was glad that tomorrow was Saturday: that

      would give us plenty of time to play with our new friend.

      I lay awake for what seemed like hours - eyes wide open in the dark,

      listening hard for an occasional yip! and my parent’s reassuring voices.

      I heard my Dad getting ready for bed. You comin’? he said as he stood at

      the kitchen entrance. With just the stove light on, the room was in semi-

      darkness. I’ll be in, my mother said. Just a few minutes.

      I’m not sure how long before  I fell asleep, but when I woke it was still dark.

      ****

      Two a.m. I decided  to climb out of bed to check on the pup.

      I could see down the hallway that the kitchen light was still on. I found my mother seated in a chair, the pup on her lap with a small white cloth over his eyes.

      I just woke up, I said. Thought I’d check on the pup.

      He’s doing good, my mother smiled. He was a little homesick so I thought I’d keep him company. Do you want to sit up with us?

      The little dog craned his neck to

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1