Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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Farewell Old Friend by PITT DICKEY By the time this column appears of his mouth. In most dogs, this would in print, Nico the Wonder have looked ridiculous. Nico's dignity Dachshund will be in doggy heaven. allowed him to carry off the lolling This is his obituary. tongue look with panache. The pink of Nico was a most excellent dog. An his tongue set off his glossy black coat extremely handsome black miniature in a way that would make an Italian dachshund, he charmed all those fashion designer weep with envy. Nico whom he met. He was 17 at his was one good-looking dog. passing. He never married. We were The last few years of his life, Nico his family. As a result became a little old of a surgical procedure man. His joints in his youth, Nico left stiffened, his back no puppies behind. He legs splayed out did leave a wide array when he stood of excellent memories, on slick floors, a hole in our hearts and his bladder and more than a few betrayed him by stained rugs and producing painful floors. stones. He could Considering the no longer jump passing of Nico into on the furniture history, I am reminded so we provided of Hamlet pondering him with doggy the skull of Yorick steps to climb. the Jester. Hamlet Eventually he considered the fleeting could no longer nature of life as he climb the steps Nico the Wonder Dog stared at his childhood to our second friend's skull. Dogs floor. He became remind many of us of the Royal Dog, children. When our dogs go, a part carried up and down the stairs. We did of us goes with them. I shall mangle his bidding. We took him out. We took some Shakespeare to mark the passing him in. His eyes began to fade and his of Nico. hearing drifted away like the waters. " Alas, poor Nico. I knew him, His concentration could no longer Gentle Reader. A dog of infinite jest, tell him where he was supposed to do of most excellent ability to sleep and his doggy business. The rugs and the eat; I have borne him under my arm a floors were the same as the outside thousand times when he got too old to to him. This summer he underwent go up and down the stairs." a second surgery to remove bladder Nico was the most timid dog stones. The vet told us Nico might we ever owned. He was afraid of not survive the procedure due to his squirrels. He did not like to be outside advanced age. Being a tough little guy, as he thought something might swoop he did but his problems continued. down from the sky and eat him. He Nico began to have to live in a was happiest when sleeping between doggy crate while we were at work. us on the couch. The only time he We told him it was a doggy spa, but I would ever be aggressive was when don't think he believed it. He thought he was on one side of the two of us it was assisted living. Having enjoyed and wanted to be in the middle. Then the run of the house his entire life, the he would push his nose into us until crate was not where he wanted to be. we would relent. He would get his Finally we realized, his most excellent way and sleep safely in between. He run was over. It was time for him to will probably be the last dog we ever rejoin Elvis. It was a sad last ride to own. Life is full of chapters. With the the vet. Now Nico rests in the back passage of Nico into the land of his yard with his friend Elvis and his Lord ancestors, our chapter as dog owners High Cat, Butter Scotch. has closed. Puff the Magic Dragon lived As a young dog Nico appeared to be forever, but not so little dogs. William totally boneless. He was as flexible as Yeats said it best, "I heard the old, old a Slinky. He grew up as the auxiliary men say/Everything alters/And one by dog for Elvis our full sized dachshund. one we drift away/... I heard the old, They spent many years together with old men say/All that's beautiful drifts Elvis teaching Nico mysteries that only away/Like the waters." Nico was a good dog. one dog can impart to another dog. So long old friend. In his middle years Nico developed dental issues. He underwent PITT DICKEY, Attorney, Contributextractions that left his tongue ing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ permanently hanging out of the side upandcomingweekly.com. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM TON Y Do not miss this Spaghetti Tradition! Stock up on home-made Greek Pastry for holiday guests. NOVEMBER 6-12, 2013 UCW 7