molly

This past week, Pat, Cathie, Nick and Jodi's dear dog, Molly, passed away. Molly was a big dog with a big heart and she's leaving a big empty space in their lives. There were many lovable things about Molly. She was, as the matrimonial ads say here in India, "homely". Which doesn't mean she was ugly; it means she liked to stay at home with her family. She was a dog of regular habits and loved nothing better than to sit on the porch with Uncle Pat and keep an eye on the neighbourhood's comings and goings. Molly would fiercly protect little kids - even from their own Moms if Molly wasn't sure about them! Molly certainly liked her food and was not too picky to stick only to her own bowl. There were a number of grilled sausages and burgers that would be set down, briefly, by guests at the Dwyer residence, only to be snuffled up seconds later by Molly, who could be remarkably quiet when sneaking up on a tasty treat. It seems to me that for the family who loved her, the best thing about Molly was her company. She had her own spot in the living room for when folks were in there watching TV. She had her snoozing area down in the basement for when Nick or anyone else was down there surfing or reading or just hanging out. And from what I recall she also had her spot at the foot of Uncle Pat's bed. Molly wasn't subtle about her emotions - if she was worried, she'd let out a big gruff bark, and if she wanted some scratching and loving she'd come and push you over with her huge shoulders or hips and squish her head right next to you.

It's hard to articulate how important a dog is. But this year, seeing Maggie and Bear and Molly all take their leave, well you can see how important they were by how their people react when they aren't around any more. That friend who has shared so many important memories and who has always been there to cheer you up, pretty much unconditionally, just isn't there any more. It is incredibly sad and hard.

All of us send our love to Molly's friends and family.

[Toronto-19-May-2008]