The Story Behind the Story: I Got You

"I got you" is a micro story inspired by the recent passing of my fur-baby. It was, and continues to be, an emotional time for me. I felt by writing this I could do some more healing from her loss, more grieving, and more accepting. The idea of starting and ending it with the same line is actually from a writing prompt I found on Pinterest. The prompt said to start and end a story with the same line but completely different context.

After KC had passed away, I was wrapping her body in a blanket. As I said, "It's okay love, I got you"; the prompt popped into my head and I thought about the first time I saw and held KC. It's fair to say this is a true story told from KC's perspective.

Did she feel as blessed to have me as her human companion as I felt to have her?
-One of the burning questions I have asked myself since KC's passing-

KC had always been (and, in a way, still is) a special existence for me. Any dog that can convince my mother to let them lick her face has super powers. Whenever she met new people most would comment on how intelligent and amazing she was. She was an expert at winning people's love and would con her way into any heart. She often used this power to get attention and treats.

I found KC at a pet shop a couple months after getting out of the Army and while I was living with my then-boyfriend. When we broke up there was some back and forth about who would get KC. I won since I paid for her at the pet shop and all her vet bills after.

She was my emotional support, and my companion, as I navigated civilian life, single life, dating and breaking up. She moved with me through 3 states, 5 houses, 6 jobs, 1 graduation and 2 failed attempts at college. We'd gone on countless road trips together to visit family and friends. She even dragged me up Mt. Pisgah in North Carolina, then insisted I carry her all the way back down the mountain.

I have spent 9 years and 6 months of my life with her. Now I'm having to learn what life is without her physically by my side. I still call out to her now and again, when I can't take the absolute silence in the house. Just the other day as soon as I walked in the empty house I called out "Girl! You'd be so pissed if you had to potty in this weather!" She was not a fan of rain, and especially not freezing rain. I take comfort in knowing she's not stuck inside the house alone while I'm at work. There's even been the occasional nightmare where I'm so busy living my life I forget about her, contrary to tears and snot I just cried writing this story and blog.

​All that said, I decided to take a minimalist approach to the editing of "I Got You". I could give you some creative excuse that I wanted to keep the story as raw as my emotions; perhaps it's true. It is hard to edit through a haze of snot and tears.

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In Loving Memory of KC
April 11, 2012 - January 3, 2022

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