I remeber coming home from college and seeing Cisco for the first time. A pure bred German Shepard pup, all fuzz and still so small. He was in the downstairs room blocked off from all places he could "mess on", my parents were potty training him still. Noone else was home, it was just me and him. I hopped over the barrier and he was instantly on me, licking me all over with that sweet puppy breath (you know that wonderful smell). He licked his way into my heart that day, and every day since. On another occasion after he had grown up into a massive, but gentle soul, I had forgotten my keys to the house and it was late at nite. My parents were off on vacation and wouldn't be there to let me in, so I jumped the fence in the backyard. Cisco had a dog door and usually made a big noise when he went outside. This time there was nothing. I took a few steps and suddenly out of the dark something grabbed my arm and released it. Just a warning, it took a minute for me to realize it was him. But I couldn't see where he went. I took a couple more steps and again the warning was repeated this time with a growl. I yelled his name and told him to sit, and he finally realized it was me. Then when my nephew was born and came to live with us, he became his gurdian. No one messed with his boy, we couldn't even spank him without Cisco getting upset. That was Cisco, our protector and friend. He lived with us for 10 golden years. A month ago while I was at work (I work nights), my mother heard a crash upstairs and thought my cats were getting into something (the little scamps). When she got to the top of the stairs she found Cisco lying on the bathroom floor. She called his name and he rolled his eyes to her, he couldn't even lift his head. She patted his head and ran to call the emergency vet clinic (unfortunately I had the only car) and to call my brother to come and get them to the vet. By the time she got back upstairs my baby was gone. They said that his heart just stopped beating and there was nothing we could have done. I guess it was a blessing that he wasn't in much pain in the end and that my nephew was in Indianapolis visiting his mother. But my mind can still hear him patroling the house late at night making sure we are all protected. Goodbye Cisco, my handsome protector and friend. Your boy and I will never, ever forgot you.