Spring 22 Travel & Adventure Spring 22 Travel & Adventure | Page 20

FROM THE PUBLISHER

ISSUE # 91 ❖ SPRING 2022

IT ’ S A PET THANG

MICHAEL B . AND ACE WITH PARENTS BOB AND LAVERNE BROOKS . THEIR PETS , SPARKY , BUCCI , OSCAR AND PIERRE .
IT ’ S LIKE THEY ALWAYS SAY , YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST PET MONKEY .
I was just a kid the day my dad brought her home . At first I wasn ’ t sure what mom was crying about . As confused as I was to find out they were tears of joy , I was even more confused to find out their cause . Following her gaze out the window , there was my dad walking up the driveway , hoisting up a caged Capuchin monkey in triumph .
My dad had acquired the monkey from a guy he knew who dealt in antiques ( and exotic animals , apparently ). Despite several warnings from the seller that Capuchin monkeys should be kept in their cage for a few days until they get acclimated to their environment , the first thing my dad did was let our new pet run free . As you can imagine , all hell broke loose .
You might have some image in your head of how fast you think a monkey can move . I ’ m here to tell you that , when properly motivated , they are even faster . After it darted around the house a few times , crashing and swopping from one room to the other , we finally managed to corral the thing in our laundry room . It was my mom who had the presence of mind to shut the door until it tired itself out .
Eventually , the monkey would calm down enough for all of us to fall in love with its million-watt smile . That grin earned our new pet the name “ Farrah ,” in honor of the legendary smile Ms . Fawcett displayed on the bedroom wall of boys across the country at the time .
In time , Farrah became a local celebrity . Even in a house with as many pets as ours , she drew attention . She ’ d spend her days sunning on our roof , hanging upside down at our kitchen window when she was ready to be let in at night . She was the delight of the whole neighborhood , and a treasured member of the Brooks family .
She came into our lives greeted by tears of joy . When we said our goodbyes to her years later , it was through tears of bittersweet remorse . Sadness at her passing , but love for the time we were able to spend with her . Losing a pet is never easy . The secret to getting through it is to remind ourselves how much love they bring into our lives .
OUR BELOVED FARRAH ENJOYING HER FAVORITE TREAT WITH MY BROTHER ROBERT , HER FAVORITE MEMBER OF THE FAMILY .
I ’ ve always said , you can tell the size of someone ’ s heart by how they treat animals . My family always had at least one pet , running the gamut of miniature dachshunds and chihuahuas , but there ’ s almost always been a standard poodle calling the Brooks house their home . And many been a rescues , save for the toy poodle my father found behind a warehouse , hungry and shivering in a freezing downpour .
My parents poured their love into their pets ( and to their sons , no matter how much we tested them ), and I guess I can thank them for passing that on to me .
It ’ s part of why I love our pets issue . It allows us to tell the stories of those special people and their furry friends in the South . Owning a pet is a big commitment , but one that pays back ten times fold . As I sit here writing this letter , South magazine mascot and beloved family pet Ace has his head in my lap waiting for me to finish so we can play .
If you are a pet owner , you get it . If you ’ re not , well , maybe somewhere in these pages you ’ ll figure out what you ’ re missing out on .
MANY THANKS & KEEP READING MICHAEL BROOKS
20 SOUTH Spring 2022 PHOTO by TODD STONE