Nigel as pup with Noah – and that’s Nika’s tail – on the way to Orlando.
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Evan Cooke lived with us when he was a traveling physical therapist and took this pic.
If you’re fortunate, a dog enters your life, perhaps through an unexpected circumstance, and turns your life inside out with such unconditional love that everything you thought you knew is transformed. That was Nigel for me.
In mid- September 2017, woman I knew from the dog park called and asked if Rob and I would like a Golden Retriever puppy. He was 3 months old and a couple in Boca had bought him and his brother but because they both worked full-time, they realized they couldn’t care properly for the pups. “I’ll be right over,” I told her.
When I got to her place, my friend Caren Griffin was also there, ready to adopt one of the pups for her daughter. We played with the brothers for awhile, and I fell in love with Presley, his name at the time., and took him home. Our red Golden, Noah, seemed pleased to have a new buddy and Rob and I were thrilled. The first thing we did with him was change his name to Nigel.
I quickly learned that Nigel didn’t have any issues with people or with other dogs.He loved everyone human he met and every dog, too. When Megan’s dog, Nika, came to live with us during covid, it seemed like love at first sight between them. They slept together, played together, and both Nika and Noah apparently taught him things. When Nigel wasn’t quite 2, Noah got sick – possibly cancer – and one morning climbed up onto the couch with Nigel and died.
Both Nigel and Nika felt Noah’s absence and spent more time together – at home, at the park, on trips. Nigel always greeted humans like friends, even if he was just meeting them. That wagging tail, a ball in his mouth, his invitation to play, please. He loved going to the park and running for balls, Frisbees…and barking at squirrels. He also enjoyed our cats, especially Nala, the black one we got in 2018. Today, she seems to feel his absence. So does Binx, Megan’s black cat who came to live with us when she moved to Washington state.
Always with Nigel, there were moments when he looked at me or Rob with those gorgeous amber eyes and I felt his absolute, unconditional love. I also felt his soul self, pure kindness, joy, There wasn’t a mean bone in his body. Even at the park when another dog stole his ball, Nigel would follow the dog and wait patiently for the pooch to drop it. No growling, nothing threatening. Just infinite patience.
Three years ago, when Rob was convalescing from knee replacement surgery, Nika acted like she was sick one morning so I took her to the vet. It was a Sunday and the only clinic open was Access Emergency Clinic. They X-rayed her and said she was bleeding internally. She was 11 at the time and told me that if they operated, they couldn’t guarantee she would survive the surgery. I called Megan and we cried together for a long time and finally decided to put her to sleep.
Megan’s painting of the 3 buddies
Nigel knew it as soon as I came home alone. He dashed outside to look for her. Several weeks later, we drove to Megan’s place in Orlando and Nigel ran inside and checked every room and the yard for Nika. I think that’s when he really understood she was gone.
Today, we had to say good-bye to Nigel. It was heartbreaking. He had arthritis so bad he limped around on three legs, and an Xray several weeks ago found a large mass in his shoulder. He went on meds that didn’t help him. Yesterday he quit eating and I fed him chicken noodle soup with an oral syringe. This morning, Rob found him lying in diarreah and so weak and in so much pain Rob had to carry him outside. He collapsed. We knew it was time.
My heart feels as empty as the house does. Nigel was the sun in my life, an extraordinary dog who is a character in two of my novels. At least he lives on there and in my heart.
Nigel with Nala the cat
