Remembering Poochie - my star

I think almost everyone remembers their first dog or pet that their family had as a child. And boy, I sure do remember mine.

It was around 1959 and I was 4 years old. Our family was living on Tucker Road in Oak Ridge. My Mom's friend Kathleen Milligan, who lived across the street, had a black cocker spaniel who had mated with an Old English sheepdog. They had some of the cutest pups around. The pups looked and had features like a sheepdog, but were smaller in size. All the pups were black.

Being the youngest of the three boys in our family, I begged Dad to get one of the pups. Dad finally gave in and we had our first family dog - even though I claimed it was my dog - and I got to name the dog Poochie.

In 1961, my Dad, Harold Bell, got laid off from his job at K-25 with the downsizing of the plant. He got a job in Rapid City, South Dakota at Ellsworth Air Force Base in the Quality Control Department with AMF, which had the contract with the Air Force for the Titan missile project on the civilian side.

Dad moved the family - along with Poochie. We could not live without our believed dog. He was one of the family by then.

When we moved to our new house, Poochie really loved it. There was a big mountain just behind our house. Poochie seemed to become a hunter. He would go out and hunt around for all kinds of small animals and bring them back to the house, wagging his tail like he was so proud. I guess he had some hunting instinct in him.

In 1963, Dad got a job back in Oak Ridge at Y-12. Poochie got to fly back home on an airplane - and the rest of the family drove back, Mom and Dad in the front and three boys in the back. My Grandfather told Dad when he picked up Poochie at the airport, Poochie was so happy to see him he jumped all over him.

As we settled into our new home on Malvern Road, I started to school at Pine Valley in the second grade. Riding my bike to and from school each day there would be my best buddy Poochie greeting me, just wagging his tail ready to play. He just loved to play wrestle and play throw-the-ball as he retrieved it.

Many Oak Ridgers from that time period will remember in the summertime we would take our pets to each elementary school to get them rabies vaccinations. This was set up through the city's Department of Recreation and Animal Control.

Also throughout the summer, the playgrounds would have Pet Day. The kids would bring their pets to be judged. Most of the pets would win some kind of award. Poochie won first place in the Most Obedient Dog. I don't know he won that because he was not that way with me.

When I started Jefferson Junior High School in 1968 I had to ride the bus because it was a new school. It was just too far to walk to school each day. When I got off the school each day, there was my best friend Poochie waiting for me, walking with me back to the house, wagging his tail. It always made me feel good seeing him after school each day.

Poochie makes his stage debut

My junior year, 1973, Dad got a call from Oak Ridge High School. They asked my Dad if they could use Poochie in a play called "Camelot." The script called for a shaggy-type dog - maybe even a bit seedy and smelly - with hair hanging over his eyes. His name would be called "Horrid" in the play. And that sure did fit Poochie to a tee.

So that night, Dad said, "Don, the school called today and said they would really love to use Poochie in a play, and would you be willing to take him to the rehearsals for the next two weeks?"

I said, "No Dad, I'm not into that. I'm into sports and hanging out in the gym." So the next night they called again and said "we really need him.

"And tell Don he will get out of some of his classes at school."

I said to myself, "Now they're talking!"

"OK Dad, tell them I'll do it!"

I really didn't know how big the production of "Camelot" was going to be. Along with ORHS Masquers drama club, it included the Band, Chorus, even going so far as to get the costumes from Broadway in New York. That must have been very expensive. Shirley Randall, drama director and choreographer, along with Kay Hamrick, choral director, and Doc Combs, band director, were involved. They really wanted to put on the biggest and best play the school had ever had at that time.

You know after a while I really enjoyed going to the rehearsals and I think Poochie did too. All the cast members would pet him and make over him.

Some of the cast members were Dennis Scarbrough as King Arthur, Sheila Aldridge as Queen Guenevere - and by the way, she went on to be on the "Lawrence Welk Show" with her sister Sherry - and Steve Yarosh as Pellinore, and many more great cast members, along with my dog Poochie as "Horrid" in the show.

So here it comes opening night in the Oak Ridge High auditorium. It was completely full with not a seat left in the house. In one of the first scenes, Pellinore brings out Horrid, my Poochie, and says, "Look around Horrid, look around" and wouldn't ya know - not trained at all - Horrid starts looking around everywhere and gets a standing ovation.

That night Poochie became a star. People were making over him and telling him .what a great job he did. The cast and I were so proud of him. Thirteen years old and he made the big stage!

Many people would see see me around town and tell me how much they enjoyed the show.

Poochie lived another year - until 14 - a long and good life. I have never forgotten him and the joy he brought me and my family. Sometimes whenI go up on our old street, Malvern Road, I close my eyes and think of him. I loved that dog - like I say, he was always my star.

Don Bell is a longtime Oak Ridge resident and Oak Ridge member on the Anderson County Board of Education.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Poochie - he was always a star