8 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, July 14, 1993 Freckles (continued from pad¥ 1) When a contractor stopped by the store and left his truck door open, Freckles sneaked in and stole the tennis ball lying on the seat. When he returned to the store a week later and saw Freckles behind the counter, he exclaimed, “You stole my tennis ball!” She hid. Eason chuckled as he remem- bered her habit of bringing grungy old bones home and hiding them in the shop. One especially well-travelled knuckle bone first appeared be- hind the pipe clamps, until a customer disturbed them. Then it migrated to a display of electrical boxes, where it got stuck in one. Freckles carried the bone in the box in her mouth all day until it fell out. Finally she buried itin a bucket of loose limestone powder. “She was white up to her eyes,” Eason laughed. When the Eason family went on vacation, Freckles helped the employees tend the store. Every evening she caught a ride with Bill Haddle back to her special condo at his kennel. Freckles sat on Haddle’s front seat, rather than in the kennel in the back of his van. Every morning Carol's brother, Rick Ruger, picked her up from Haddle's on his way to the store. “Bill Haddle actually saved her life when she was so sick four years ago,” Carol said. A veteri- narian had diagnosed Freckles’ illness as liver failure and given her about a month to live. Haddle gave Easons the name of another vet, who found that Freckles actually had a bad case of pancreatitis, which could be treated with medications and a special diet. Until the day she died, Freckles faithfully ate her medicine and one can daily of prescription dog food with a scoop of strawberry- flavored Slim-Fast on top. No chocolate or vanilla, please. Straw- berry. This wasn't the first time that Freckles had baffled a veterinar- ian. Several years ago, she cried whenever she got up, convincing the family that she was in pain and couldn't walk. The family took her to three area veterinarians before her problem was correctly diagnosed: she liked to be carried around. “She was a good friend to every- body,” recalled customer Jim Perugino. “Every day at lunch she visited around, even though we weren't allowed to give her treats because of her special diet.” Neighborhood kids came todub Dallas Centre Hardware “the Freckles store.” Jim Eason says the store will now adopt the nick- name and have it painted on his truck. Freckles’ passing has left a big hole in the Eason family’s lives. “I don't want to come to work now. Freckles isn't here,” Michele mourned. “It was very difficult last Fri- day, trying to explain toa custom- ers three-year-old daughter that Freckles isn't here, that she’s in heaven now,” Carol added. Jim said that late last week they couldn't bring themselves to come home from an out-of town meeting, knowing that their faith- ful companion of 15years wouldn't be there to greet them. They cried all the way back to Dallas. Even the family cat, Bubbles, can't understand where her best buddy is. She has been searching the house for Freckles for the past week. Customers asking about her get choked up whendJim and Carol tell them what happened. When asked what they'll re- member most about her, Jim, Carol and Michele said that Freck- les was a character and a charm- ing dog who touched the lives of everyone who met her. What better memory could a furry-faced angel leave her people with? Reporter's notebook Good dogs do go to heaven Writing about Freckles’ death brought back many memories for me. Although I didn't know her as well as some people, I know how Jim, Carol and Michele Eason feel about her loss. There's a big, empty hole in their lives. And it hurts. When the first of my dogs died, 1 also mourned. Trying to console me, a well-meaning colleague said, “Look, it’s just a dog.” I knew that she would never understand: it wasn't just a dog. When you lose a furry friend who has become so close to you over the years that your shadows are one, you suddenly lose a piece of yourself. My personal belief about the furry ones is that they're really angels come to earth to teach us to become human beings. That's what I learned from Lenape Wolf Clan chief Sakima William Sauts Bock. Certainly Freckles was an angel with four paws, for she spread good will and laughter wherever she went. What better ways than gentleness and laughter to teach us to become human beings? Freckles was a good dog, a flop-eared angel with fur. And since they're already angels, all good dogs do go to heaven by Grace R. Dove Fax your ad! to The Dallas Post 675-3650 Do you want to cool off? Take a refreshing bath or shower with a shower gel from DOWN TO EARTH 316) BD @ STS) S\N B VLN BG) Choose from Summer Hill, Apricot, Aloe and many more. Stop by and join our Birthday Club. Victorian House 1027 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort, PA @® 717-283-8401 [32 Buses (continued from page 1) said. Superintendent Gerald Wycal- lis said that under state law, the district isn’t obligated to provide bus service to students who live less than 1-1/2 miles from school unless the area has been desig- nated as a safety hazard by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). He suggested busing the Or- chard View students for a two- week trial period in the fall to see how many of them actually use the buses. Board member Ellen Nagy sugggested that the parents work with Miers and PennDOT to have Orchard View Terrace designated a safety hazard so that busing could be provided. In other business, the district approved a contract with Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 to provide special education classes for 97 Dallas students, at a total cost of $955,458. Although this breaks down to a per-pupil cost of $9,850, Wycallis said that this figure isn't accu- rate, since different students, based on their needs, require dif- ferent types of education, which can cost different amounts. “We have one student whose educational needs cost nearly $40,000, while other students require much less,” he explained. In personnel matters, the board approved: * An extension of the adminis- KT posts sign rules trators’ current salaries from July 1, when their contract expired, until new salaries can be agreed upon. e The appointment of Mrs. Carol Harding, who had been fur- loughed, to replace retiring ele- mentary teacher Mrs. Patricia Kirk. e A list of extra-curricular advi- sors, substitute non-professional employees and stafftransfers. The resignation of goundskeeper Steve Lowe, effective July 16, and re- tirement of librarian Ann Marie Gries were accepted with regret. The Kingston Township Zoning Officer reminds the residents of the Township that it is illegal to attach garage /yard sale signs to telephone poles, or trees and they should be attached to individual stakes. All such signs should be removed no later than two days after the sale. Violators may be fined up to $300.00. Additional information may be obtained from the Zoning Officer at 696-3809. 4 KURLANCHEEK'S OF DALLAS FOR A CHANGE THIS WEEKEND 10-5 12 - 5 A Thurs. + Fri. Wig Sabie Sat. Sun. NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED EVERYTHING MUST GO! JACOB KURLANCHEEX FURNITURE 7/18 Memorial Highway Dallas, Pa. Hours: Mon. - Tues. - Sat. 10-5, Wed. Closed Thurs.- Fri. 10-9, Sun. 12-5 675-2553 ¢ §é ¢ O / A_ pF»
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