This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Remembering Toby


I posted something about Toby in my AOL journal a long time ago but I don't think many of you read it. For some reason today I've been thinking of Toby and missing him/her so we'll call Toby an IT. Toby is a dry land turtle. When we lived on the ranch it started comeing to the back of the house about every three days late in the afternoon so we adopted it. We named it Toby and after this picture was taken we painted our initials on his shell. Toby was never afraid of us. Most dry land turtles will draw their head into their shell at the sound of a strange noise. Toby never did that and I would have a long conversation with it. Toby never anwered back but I always felt he/she was listening. When we decided to move to town John ask me if I wanted to bring Toby. I wanted to but thought it would be wrong to take it from its native home plus if it got out it may be run over by a car. Toby just didn't seem to be a city dude. We moved and John rented the farm house to a couple with two teenage kids and one younger boy who they were raising. We liked the whole family and especially the younger boy would always ride with us to check cows etc.. That family stayed a little over a year and I would ask of Toby but they never seem to have seen it or was particularly interested. The day they moved we went out to check the place and we found Toby upside down by the grain tank with a stick beside him/her. It was evident someone had beat Toby with that stick. I was so sick to my stomach. Why would anyone do such a vile thing to a harmless little turtle? John had to do what needed to be done to put Toby out of his/her misery. This one picture and my memories are all I have left of Toby.

22 comments:

jack69 said...

This is a sad entry, but real, as always you are real. We love to watch the land turtles we run into here in Florida. This park has one or two we have seen, they do not stick around to talk though. We love to watch them. There are plenty in Florida, and some dig their homes where we camp.
I too talk to animals, I talked to micky mouse to no avail and today I talked to a squirrel who would not listen.
Great entry Cowgirl.
Jack

REGINA said...

how sad. i don't get into reptiles and other cold blooded critters, but you just have to love a tortoise or a turtle. may toby's memory live on.

blessings,

regina

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry. That's sad. I don't know what's wrong with people sometimes.

Joyce said...

What a sad story Paula. I will never, ever understand the cruelty of any animal. DogGoneIt anyway.
I found my pumpkin waaayyyy down. LOL.
Hugs, Joyce

Amelia said...

People are so freakin' mean! I don't know how people could do something like that without feeling sick to their stomachs or very guilty, even a kid. People are crazy. *M*

http://learningtoadapt.blogspot.com

garnett109 said...

poor toby, sorry for your loss

Anonymous said...

cruelty to animals (and to children) is beyond my imagination...I am not a creepy crawlie person LOL...but certainly have no reason to stomp on them...LOL..someone told me once.."they are more afraid of you than you are of them"..but I never stuck around long enough to find out...live and let live...my motto...LOL...God Bless...hugs..Ora

Cindi said...

that breaks my heart ...poor toby

Unknown said...

Oh this made me very sad :(
I cant understand how people can be so cruel to defenseless animals.
Take Care

Alice said...

Just awful! Toby would have been safer being a city dude :(....alice

sober white women said...

We had a turtle when I was growing up and now Amber wants a turtle. I am not to sure about this.
Kelli

Paula said...

Well, that just made me cry! I never dreamed that was where the story was going.How could and why would anybody, adult or child, be so cruel? What do they get from watching a living creature suffer? I always talk to animals, well, except for the mouse in the garage, I scream at him!!!
Paula

Lisa said...

So sorry to hear that Toby has passed on. I know you must miss him. We really had a treat one day driving to Cocoa Beach before we moved to Kentucky. There on the highway was a huge sea turtle just trucking along.... huge and beautiful and glorious. We slowed to see it up close as we passed by, careful not to run it over. Lots of interesting wild life in Florida. We're enjoying the Kentucky sights too.
Lisa

Marlene said...

That is so sad. I always wish that people like that get what they deserve. And I love turtles.
Marlene

Martha said...

Oh no! That's just terrible Paula! I'm so sorry :-(

Celeste said...

Found you! LOl
http://mydayandthoughts.blogspot.com and http://celeste-cslife.blogspot.com

Missie said...

That is such a sad story. Poor little turtle.

Janie said...

Is a dry land turtle called a box turtle? They are not a snapper. We have those little turtles too. Awww that is so cruel!! Really makes you wonder what kind of person they will be when they grow up! Bet it was one of the kids that did that. Janie

How I See It said...

You know...people who do this to animals should come back as that animal and let them reap the consequences of their past behavior.

fyi..my old eyes had difficulty reading the red print.

Dance on, Girlfriend!
Karen

Beth said...

That is horrible. I'll never understand how some people can be so cruel to a defenseless animal.

Lisa said...

My goodness what a horrible story and what a sad ending for Toby. I don't see how anyone could or would beat a turtle to death, what fun could anyone possibly get out of that.

I have a turtle and I just love him to pieces. He actually has a personality, which some might not believe but even now Doug realizes he does indeed respond to me and is starting to like Doug too.

Rest in Peace dear Toby.

Rose said...

that is just so darn sad, Paula. I am so sorry. rose