Chopper!! My beloved Chopper!! I have this special “boing boing” sound my phone makes when I receive a text from my dad and the latest caption reads”proof of life!!” DAD!!! I’m like come on It’s a grainy pic of Chopper in his bed.My dad who cares for Chopper full time now likes to send me pics knowing in the past when he doesn’t respond to my” how’s Chopper’ queries fast enough I will ask for “proof” he’s still got Chopper! I’ve even asked for him to pose with the days paper… I know what you’re thinking! Who the f$$k still reads the paper and she’s nutso..
And so if you’re new here you may also be wondering who is Chopper? Chopper is my Toy Fox Terrier. He’s turning 17 on December 5th. He now resides in Malibu with my dad because it isn’t easy traveling the world with him like it once was.He has his own passport and yes traveled the world with me, thirty countries at least!! I had a backpack for him and many times he just stayed in my purse. He has been my constant companion, and was my first “baby”. Pets are extremely cathartic for us aren’t they? I know that two very difficult periods in my life were made easier by my little guy. They absorb so much of our feelings and stress and are able to comfort us with just their presence.
I found Chopper one afternoon in 2003 while driving in Florida. I was there to do an in store appearance (remember those) and ended up in a town called Pembroke Pines. It was a place that masqueraded as a pet shoppe but was in fact a puppy mill… I won’t go into specifics but that ended up being one of the best days of my life and we were meant to be together. I believe in some ways rescued each other. The years have passed and I’ve seen Chopper through his many heath issues. He was kidnapped and held for ransom by a fan (read about it in my memoir Sinner Takes All) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/305692/sinner-takes-all-by-tera-patrick/ and he survived my first marriage with me .
I became pregnant with my daughter Sophia in 2012. Chopper and I first moved to Vancouver BC, then Chicago to be close to my daughters father who was working on the film “Man of Steele” at the time. Having Chopper was my everything. He was my constant companion as I explored the new cities I was in, shared in some of my food cravings, I shopped for baby stuff with him taking up most of my purse, and since many nights were spent shooting, Chopper and I would fall asleep to many marathons of “Alfred Hitchcock presents” Cyd Charisse movies, and Forensic Files. Every few months as I make it back to California to see my dad (really Chopper lol) I cherish all the moments I still have with him. I hope you enjoy some of these pictures. I have so many and these I found recently and wanted to Share. Comment please and tell me if you have a pet XO Tera