127 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com A few years after their retirement in Mount Pleasant, Bill Farley and his wife, Judy, started to talk about getting a dog, their first together. “He wanted a big dog,” said Judy, admitting she wasn’t so sure. When it finally came time, Bill and Judy went to adopt at Charleston Animal Society’s North Charleston facility. There, they met several lovely canine candidates. Unfortunately, none felt like “the one.” Having hoped to leave the shelter with the newest member of their family, Bill and Judy were slightly disappointed leaving empty-handed. On their way out, the couple spotted a man holding a rambunctious and affectionate puppy. Intrigued, Bill and Judy inquired about the pup that fervently licked his handler. They learned that the dog, “Armando,” was a new intake and that the man holding him was Joe Elmore, Charleston Animal Society’s CEO. Armando wasn’t ready to be placed in a home that day but would soon be available. Bill and Judy went home thinking about the sweet 3-month-old dachshund/Jack Russell mix. He wasn’t a big, sturdy dog, but he was cute. “Bill didn’t discuss much with me going home – he still wanted a big dog,” Judy remembered. A good night’s sleep put everything in perspective. Bill and Judy were back at the shelter the next day to adopt Armando. They immediately renamed him “Pal.” “Bill named him. He loved the name Pal because Jackie Gleason called everyone pal,” Judy explained. The name Pal also honored the memory of Bill’s childhood dog, Buddy. They didn’t realize, however, that Pal and Bill sound similar. “When I called Pal, Bill would respond,” joked Judy. Judy recalled Pal’s preference for sleeping under the covers of their bed and his knack for destroying things. “Pal destroyed new wall-to-wall carpets when he first moved in,” Judy shared, with seemingly no regrets. “We had no children, so Mr. Pal was our child,” Judy said. “Bill used to be in his office; Pal had a rug back there. Bill had complete conversations with him. When they went out for a ride without me, they also had complete conversations.” “Pal was Bill’s dog,” Judy admitted. “He loved me, I loved him. But that was Mr. Bill’s dog. The love they shared was unique.” She continued, “Pal never settled down. He would bounce up and down until he got to go for his walk. If someone yelled out ‘candy,’ he came flying,” Judy laughed. “Even until the end, Pal was rambunctious. Friends who visited knew to give Pal attention when walking through the door. He loved people.” Judy could tell that Pal was sad after Bill passed. It was a little over two months before Pal’s health declined and Judy knew he had had enough. Pal was humanely euthanized at home and now rests in a beautiful wooden box near Bill and a once-stray calico cat that won Bill’s heart near Paramount Studios in California. “They’re together, all together,” said Judy, thrilled to discuss “her boys” and their profound friendship. BY ISABEL ALVAREZ ARATA Friends to the End Pal, a forever partner in crime pets www.TopTenHomesSold.com | www.CarolinaRealEstatePodcast.com | www.MountPleasant.Pet
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