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Virgil was born in 1930 and reared on a farm near South Bend, Indiana during the Great Depression and World War II, both of which had tremendous influences on his life. In 1972 he, his wife Marian and their children moved to a small farm where he still enjoys gardening, tending a small apple orchard, and beef cattle. They have eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren, all of whom seem to enjoy visiting grandpa’s farm.

Upon earning a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Illinois, his professional career has involved molecular structure research and process development. He has published many papers in technical journals, but his real love of writing led him to write hundreds of humorous skits during a 35-year period for an annual “Sweetheart” dinner at his church. He has also written, produced, and directed twenty full-length Christmas plays for his church.

Some highlights of his life have been enjoying his family, playing a sousaphone in the Purdue All-American band, entertaining various groups with his 105 year-old tuba, and singing bass in a barbershop quartet and in the church choir.

King was a Border collie puppy we picked out at the dog pound. We all loved him and regarded him as a member of our family, but he also became a neighborhood dog that everyone seemed to know and love. His daily routines, including sleeping in our son’s classroom, enabled him to have more friends than his owner did in that community.

““A Friendly King” by Virgil D. Mochel

This narrative occurred in Corning, New York when the family decides to get a puppy. They went to a nearby animal shelter and found out that there were a fine number of Border collie puppies. They were excited to pick the best out of the bunch but instead, one got wiggling all over his body to gain attention and decided that this is the one! Paid for the pup right away and went home. Their son, Steve, was ecstatic, barely keeping his hands off their new little family member. And called their puppy, “King.”

They made all the necessary barriers to prevent their pet from trespassing to their neighbor’s backyard. The dog is basically loved and known by the whole neighborhood. As King grew into an adult, he even has his routines and got busy eventually, from making rounds to delivering milk to walking with junior high school neighborhood girls in early mornings, and sleeping in their son’s classroom. This is why King is so well-known in their community.

Without spoiling, a sudden twist resulted in a heart-retching moment. Make sure to purchase the book and just keep on reading until the end. Most of us are aware of the sheer loyalty canines have to their owners especially the moment of being separated. The length of the story is short but will leave you with mixed emotions and will linger throughout. What to do if you were in that situation where you have to make a difficult choice? Dogs, as being a part of your family and in your life, can be very daunting after making that life-changing decision for them.

If you are looking for a book that has that heart-melting vibe and shows how these smart animals react to real-world situations where their owners have no control over these circumstances, this is a great addition to your library or collection. A perfect companion to your favorite drink.”