Kym Whitley & Milk

Dearest Milk,

We have grown old together in some of the best ways. You are losing your hearing and your sight, which I understand since I am too. I remember the day we met, it seems like just yesterday. I walked into a pet store with no intention on buying a dog. I lingered by the dogs. You didn't give anyone attention. Until I walked up. You looked at me, turned around, pushed your butt against the cage and wagged that puffy white tail of yours.

I cracked up laughing and kept going. I cruised the other dogs, many of them looking prim, proper, some with signs that might as well have read, "I'm going to eat your couch", but not you. You waited. I came back and did the same thing again. I could hear you saying, "hey, you with no booty. I got a puffy white booty, let's play." They tried to sway me toward your sister, who was prim and proper but there's only room for one queen in my castle. I looked back at you and you did it again. Butt against the cage and wagged your puffy tail. I knew you were the one. Free and uncouth, just like me. It was the first time I took a white man home and felt good about it.

Our journey began, September 2001 in our two bedroom apartment, I wanted to name you cocaine, but I thought that would offend the neighbors. So we landed on Milk!

Our first house came with your very own doggie door! Yay!!! Finally you were free to frolic in the yard. We spent 14 years in that house and despite all the foster dogs and my foster boyfriends we trained and babysat, you were always king of the castle. We have gone through some hard times together and memorable ones! We supported each other through it all.

In 2011 our lives changed forever when your human baby brother Joshua arrived. You would sit by his crib when he cried and chewed on his favorite toys. When he became a toddler, you allowed him to drag you around like a mop and lay on you like a fluffy pillow. We moved again into a home with a yard that was big enough for us to run a mile, but by then we had both lost our spunk and our teeth, but I got new ones. Even though you don't bark anymore you still require the same amount of rubs and kisses.

One of the scariest nights of my life was when I looked outside and saw that you had fallen in the swimming pool. You are a brave soul, because you hung on to the side of that pool for hours. I want to say thank you for not giving up. I want to apologize for traveling so much and leaving you at home for days without seeing your family, but you have lots of friends that love you and come over to feed you walk you and rub you. Happy 18th birthday Milk and thank you for always making me smile.

Love, Mom

A comedian, actress, activist and author, Kym Whitley is known from her appearances on Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm and the Tom Joyner Morning Shows, as well as a recurring role on Young & Hungry. Kym is a dedicated activist, and she has championed her "Don't Feed Me" campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of food allergies for both children and adults.