We’ve been together for 14 long years, attached at the hip since college. A dozen times a day, I reach down to give you a little pat and make sure you’re still there, always by my side. I never leave the house without you and when I lose sight of you, I panic.
You are my trusty carabiner. Holder of my keys, safety back up for all my dog outings, my loyal companion. I’ll never forget the day I bought you (with my employee discount) from the Ramsey Outdoor Store. I had no idea then, but you were to become one of my luckiest, most favorite tools for working with dogs.
Today, after many weeks of trying to ignore the signs that you were starting to slow down – getting stuck open, not snapping closed fast enough, totally silver with no traces of your old cobalt blue coating - you finally told me it was time to let you go.
For the first time in 14 years, you got stuck slightly open and I lost a set of my client’s house keys. It would have been irresponsible of me to continue making you work.
So, with a heavy heart, I bought a new carabiner and retired you to my desk drawer. This new guy isn’t the same. My keys don’t slide around him smoothly and, every time I have to shake the keys into place, so that I can clip the newbie onto my belt loop, I think of you old pal. No one did it better than you.
Thank you for an awesome 14 years lucky ‘biner. You were a dog walker’s dream.
My Lucky ‘Biner 1998-2012
