28 August

Portrait: The Face Of Sweetness

by Jon Katz

I wrote once that Orson, the famous border collie in my life, was a lifetime dog. I was wrong, of course; I’ve had a bunch of lifetime dogs; there is no law saying you can only have one.

Pearl and Lenore loved creatures (I called Lenore “The Love Dog,”) but no dog I have ever had was as sweet and loving as Zinnia. She is the Queen of Chill, the Ambassador of  Loyalty and Love.

She is my shadow; she goes where ever I am, from the bathroom to the Mansion to Bishop Gibbons to our bedroom (she sleeps at the foot of the bed).

Every time I look at her, she is right next to me. Two or three times a day, she hops up on the footstool to give me some licks and accept having her belly scratched.

She has no temper, no angry, possessive, or competitive genes.

She is all good, an excellent companion and therapy dog. She loves her little buddy Bud and shares her treats and food with him. It’s a joy to watch them wrestle, he doesn’t know he is small, and she doesn’t know he is big.

She plants smiles wherever she goes, comforting the elderly who miss their pets and the refugee children terrified of dogs. They aren’t scared of dogs anymore; Zinnia knows how to win them over.

She has been a tremendous comfort to me during these Covid days. She lies by my feet, still and watchful, and does not let me out of her sight. I don’t know what she knows, but I do know she is taking care of me in her way and making sure I heal.

I smile whenever she appears, and when I write, she is lying at my feet, and I can reach down and scratch her ears or rub her belly.

I had some rough and isolated days the past couple of weeks. Zinnia always made the days brighter. Except when she goes out, she is never out of my side. She’s a good girl.

3 Comments

  1. Orson. He certainly was “special”. Reading about your trials with him is what got me hooked on your writing. I miss him so. Never a dull moment with him around.

  2. I do LOVE that sweet face. Wish I could scratch her tummy and give her a kiss. I love my little Zoey, but I miss my big dogs so much. Thanks for sharing Zinnia with us.

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