The story of the Christmas basset turns 31

 

By JOHN E. BIALAS
Broadmoor Basset Chief

Molly was Kristin's Christmas puppy, a basset hound that Patty presented at home to our child at about 4 p.m. on Dec. 24, 1989, after Kristin and I saw a Fred Savage movie, "The Wizard," at Hardy Court in Gulfport.

Kristin was 8 years old, and years later during the holidays, we went to Mobile for Christmas shopping on a Sunday, left Molly in the back yard and came back around 10 p.m.

Once Molly was in the house with us, I went to put out the trash for the Monday pickup. My neighbor from just across the street snuck up behind me and scared the heck out of me. It was my first interaction with him, a few years after he had moved to our neighborhood. 

He complained that Molly's non-stop barking disturbed the peace while we were gone and this led to an argument between the two of us as we stood in the middle of 25th Street.

This was an airing of grievances before either of us was aware of Festivus.

Being home alone outside of the house, Molly's separation anxiety probably kicked in, much like when she was boarded while we were on vacation and her mournful howls inside the place of business resulted in Molly spending a night or two at the home of the business owner.

I also remember the Sunday night that Molly rode with me to the post office downtown, where I went inside to buy a package of stamps from a machine and left Molly in the front passenger seat, where she seemed comfortable during the ride.

But when I got back to the car, Molly was on the floor of the passenger side, apparently overcome by moments of fear because she had been left alone.

It took many years before peace was at hand between my neighbor and me, and with the past behind us, we have the occasional friendly conversation. 
  
Molly became ill when she was 13 years old and she passed away in 2002, when Kristin was a student at Mississippi State University in Starkville.

Now Patty and I have Tilly, our second basset hound, and Tilly is 7 years old.

Tilly created her own Facebook page in 2019, and though she hasn't been as active as she would like, she has had quite the 2020 and she means that in a good way.

One of the Tilly highlights was her appearance in the Praise My Pets Basset Hounds 2020 Calendar after we submitted a photo. The picture of Tilly was among the dogs of August, appropriate because Tilly moved from her birthplace, Cleveland, Tenn., to her permanent home in Gulfport in August 2013.

Another highlight was in September, when she received a cherished tweet of acknowledgment for her participation in the Duchess Goldblatt Dog Show. 

I wonder if Your Grace was thinking of Tilly when she tweeted this: "So many new faces at the Duchess Goldblatt Dog Show this year! I’m delighted. This is just the very thing to cheer our weary hearts." 

It cheered my heart and made it merry, just like memories of Molly at Christmas time, and the old picture at the top of this post is Molly in front of the Christmas tree.