This morning, I was given the option of covering a story about early childhood education, about the importance of giving young children a chance to explore their world and interact with each other and the topics they were studying instead of just shoving a book or worksheet in front of them. Or I could attend the retirement ceremony for a doggie who worked for the Fort Worth Fire Department’s bomb squad.

Guess where I wound up.

Quigley the Labrador Retriever was retiring after eight years on the Explosives Detection Unit.

Even the mayor showed up for his party!

Quigley and I share a lot in common.

First, we’re both a handful. Quigley’s handler related an #adorbs story about how they were sniffin’ for trouble at the Colonial one year.

Quigley actually sniffed out a tennis ball behind a water pipe that he demanded to play with. He busted the pipe. The fella from the bomb disposal unit explained that he was drenched with water; Quigley was drenched with water. And while he *quested* to find someone to shut off the water, Quigley started happily playing with the tennis ball.

The following year, he said Quigley sniffed out some peanut butter and helped himself.

This story wasn’t all good times, though. Quigley’s successor is named Barkevious. Barkevious.

Because a reporter asks, I needed to know how to pronounce Barkevious. The fire chief of the 15th biggest city in the United States had to explain, I swear I’m not making this up, that it’s bar-KAE-vee-us. And if you listen to that, you’ll also hear him explain that he’s not responsible for this naming fiasco.

Much like myself, though, Quigley failed at retirement. His handler says Quigley will get all excited to go to work then be let down. So he’s started, I swear I’m still not making this up, letting Quigley hang out around the office.

The mayor explained, though, that Quigley can now let himself go. His handler says Quigley has been eyeing the bacon pretty hard. In the meantime, they baked him a cake .

In conclusion, I wish to make Quigley my executive vice president.

Quigley’s handler says they’ve been together 5 1/2 years. In retirement, he says Quigley would “like to have lots of bacon and dog treats.” They baked him a cake to celebrate. Price says he no longer has to stay at his fighting weight. #adorbs pic.twitter.com/pj4cN9frKi

— Alan Scaia (@scaia) January 23, 2019