RIP Meatball

I had a couple of things I was thinking of writing for today’s post, but all of those quickly became irrelevant when I got the news from my sister that they had to put their dog, their loyal, loving bulldog of 16 years, down today.

True confession, I am not a dog person. We tried to have a dog a couple of times in my childhood, but there was no way my mother was going to raise three girls and a dog, especially if she couldn’t tell the dog to help her with the dishes and clean the bathroom. And in our house, what mama said went.  There actually was a sign in our kitchen that read “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” It was true; oh man, was it true.

So, we didn’t grow up with a dog, and when I became an adult who could probably make that decision for myself, I had moved to NYC and didn’t feel like being stuck in a shoebox-sized apartment all day would be a fun life for any dog.

My sister, however, still lived in California, and though she would claim she wasn’t a dog person either, she welcomed Meatball into her life, and by extension, into ours.  And, I’ll tell you, he was adorable. But more importantly (I know, what’s more important than that?! HAHA!) he was kind and fiercely protective. He was a good friend to my older niece and persevered through failing health to see the birth of my youngest niece.

I don’t have firsthand experience of losing a pet, so I didn’t know what to say to comfort my sister and her family. As I sit here typing this post, I still don’t. But I feel sad for them and for the void that probably nothing can fill.

So, I want to dedicate this post to loyal, loving Meatball, for whom this quote from actress Hermione Gingold comes to mind: “To call him a dog hardly seems to do him justice, though inasmuch as he had four legs, a tail, and barked, I admit he was, to all outward appearances.  But to those of us who knew him well, he was a perfect gentleman.”

Thanks for everything, Meatball.

xo