Edition #41
Happy 10th Anniversary, Leonard!
Yesterday was my sweet pup Leonard’s birthday. He’s 10 years old already. I do remember like it was yesterday when I had the blessing to first encounter that tiny loving baby at my dear friend Leslie’s house in Austin, Texas, 2 days before starting an American tour with my band Your Favorite Enemies, alongside my compadres from the band …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead.
He was almost 4 weeks old. He was quiet compared to his 7 other newly born siblings, but he was super curious. He came to me slowly, as if asking, “What’s that freak doing in our private room?” or something. I was still mourning my first beloved dog, Shadow, who had passed 3 years before. The pain had been so hard that I was clearly not adopting any additional family member any time soon. Until Leonard decided otherwise. He sat down at my feet. He looked at me. I looked at him. I literally told him, “No way, buddy, don’t you even try, read the sign on my heart: no vacancy.” Well, kind of… But it was somewhere close to that. And the funny part was that Leonard was always with his brother, who was super big compared to the others and who was barely able to walk because of his big belly, so he was always kind of late to the Leonard vs. Alex face-off. “Do you think that by bringing your buddy, I will change my mind? Forget it, little one!” Yes, I know it sounds harsh, but it’s important to establish dominance towards 4-week-old baby pups immediately… I mean… Right!?
He was almost 4 weeks old. He was quiet compared to his 7 other newly born siblings, but he was super curious. He came to me slowly, as if asking, “What’s that freak doing in our private room?” or something. I was still mourning my first beloved dog, Shadow, who had passed 3 years before. The pain had been so hard that I was clearly not adopting any additional family member any time soon. Until Leonard decided otherwise. He sat down at my feet. He looked at me. I looked at him. I literally told him, “No way, buddy, don’t you even try, read the sign on my heart: no vacancy.” Well, kind of… But it was somewhere close to that. And the funny part was that Leonard was always with his brother, who was super big compared to the others and who was barely able to walk because of his big belly, so he was always kind of late to the Leonard vs. Alex face-off. “Do you think that by bringing your buddy, I will change my mind? Forget it, little one!” Yes, I know it sounds harsh, but it’s important to establish dominance towards 4-week-old baby pups immediately… I mean… Right!?
I left for my tour shortly after, not without telling Leonard and his buddy goodbye. I wanted to make sure they would know there wasn’t any kind of special connection between us all. “No strings attached, boys, good luck with the rest of your life!” And for the 3 weeks I spent on the road, I made sure to tell everyone that I wasn’t touched by that Leonard “thing,” that I didn’t want to welcome anyone else in my heart, and that I was constantly talking about Leonard and wondering about his health only because I love animals. That’s it. Three weeks. Every single day. I’m a person of conviction: no means no, and no way means never. “Leonard will understand my position,” I insisted. I’m in a rock band, it’s not the place for a child. It’s nothing personal against him. He’s cute, he’s bright, he’s calm, he’s already obedient and won’t stop coming to me when I go check on him several times an hour. But I mean, they’re babies, they require constant attention. So it was a firm NO.
Our tour ended in Austin, Texas, and therefore we were back at Leslie’s house. I had already forgotten about Leonard, but made sure he was still at the ranch the second I set foot outside our tour bus. Leonard was there. He came to me right away. “You’re such a player,” I told him while insisting to his buddy that I saw through their little game. NO. I don’t feel it. Nah… it’s just not there. You can’t fake love (well, technically a lot of people do, but they didn’t know, they were still babies, so…) I even talked with Leslie wondering, under a purely conversational purpose, what was going on in general, before eventually asking, “Any takers for the pups?” 4 seconds into the discussion. I told you, I love animals. That’s all. Nothing more.
Our tour ended in Austin, Texas, and therefore we were back at Leslie’s house. I had already forgotten about Leonard, but made sure he was still at the ranch the second I set foot outside our tour bus. Leonard was there. He came to me right away. “You’re such a player,” I told him while insisting to his buddy that I saw through their little game. NO. I don’t feel it. Nah… it’s just not there. You can’t fake love (well, technically a lot of people do, but they didn’t know, they were still babies, so…) I even talked with Leslie wondering, under a purely conversational purpose, what was going on in general, before eventually asking, “Any takers for the pups?” 4 seconds into the discussion. I told you, I love animals. That’s all. Nothing more.
Leslie asked me if I wanted to adopt one of them, that it seemed like there was one that was fond of me. “Really? Nah, I didn’t notice any specific ones or potential love story,” I answered. “Not even Leonard?” she asked. “Who?” I responded, totally detached. I had to play it cool. She was also a fan and I needed to maintain my character for my own good! “Who are you talking about?” I repeated.
– “Leonard!!!”
– “No, I don’t get it.”
– “You know the one you baptized Leonard (his original name was Pudge, referencing a Red Sox’s player) and asked Stephanie to text me about every 30 minutes for the last three weeks… THAT LEONARD.”
– “Hmm… Yes, it rings a bell. Sounds familiar…”
So anyway, you got the point: Leslie entrapped me into adoption! So, to help my friend out, I said:
– “Okay, I’ll take Leonard, but I will also take his buddy, the big-bellied one. They’re always together, so they can play together since I’m not really emotionally invested, you know…”
– “You mean the one you name MacKaye? (Original name: Mookie, referencing Mookie Betts, playing for the Red Sox at the time)”
– “Ah, yes, yes… He also had a name, right?”
– “Alex… YOU named them!!!”
– “Right, right.”
– “Leonard!!!”
– “No, I don’t get it.”
– “You know the one you baptized Leonard (his original name was Pudge, referencing a Red Sox’s player) and asked Stephanie to text me about every 30 minutes for the last three weeks… THAT LEONARD.”
– “Hmm… Yes, it rings a bell. Sounds familiar…”
So anyway, you got the point: Leslie entrapped me into adoption! So, to help my friend out, I said:
– “Okay, I’ll take Leonard, but I will also take his buddy, the big-bellied one. They’re always together, so they can play together since I’m not really emotionally invested, you know…”
– “You mean the one you name MacKaye? (Original name: Mookie, referencing Mookie Betts, playing for the Red Sox at the time)”
– “Ah, yes, yes… He also had a name, right?”
– “Alex… YOU named them!!!”
– “Right, right.”
And the morning before leaving for Montreal, I was the new caretaker (daddy doesn’t sound “metal” enough) of Leonard and MacKaye. And seriously, those 2 incredible pups changed me as a person. I never thought I had the ability within me to love like I love them. And even if losing MacKaye to cancer last year was devastating for me, there’s not a day that goes by that I am not deeply grateful for those 2 little boys. We both miss Macky like crazy, but Leonard and I have each other and it’s the most fulfilling joy there is for me to be his daddy (well, his metal daddy, if you know what I mean… It’s a public post and I have a rock n roll reputation to maintain!)
Happy birthday boys,
I love you!!!
Happy birthday boys,
I love you!!!
PS: For the sake of the story’s integrity and the fact-checking scrupulousness:
1- I didn’t ask Stephanie to text Leslie every 30 minutes, but every hour (or so)
2- I didn’t get entrapped by Leslie, but I still suspiciously believe that a seductive plan was set in motion by Leonard and MacKaye to come to my place… or something.
3- I literally fell in love with Leo the second he set his little eyes on me. Same for the big-bellied MacKaye, who was hardly able to move as swiftly as Leo… What? Noisemakers have hearts as well, you know!
1- I didn’t ask Stephanie to text Leslie every 30 minutes, but every hour (or so)
2- I didn’t get entrapped by Leslie, but I still suspiciously believe that a seductive plan was set in motion by Leonard and MacKaye to come to my place… or something.
3- I literally fell in love with Leo the second he set his little eyes on me. Same for the big-bellied MacKaye, who was hardly able to move as swiftly as Leo… What? Noisemakers have hearts as well, you know!
