There was a particular elderly lady at the hospital when Liquorice and Keaton visited. She was terribly frail, and had dementia. Despite the best efforts of the nursing staff and her family, Barbara has hardly eaten a thing while she has been in hospital.
When Liquorice and Keaton were visiting dad, one of her family asked that I take the pups over to meet Barbara as they told her of them however she was virtually blind and could not see my little darlings except up close.
I took Keaton over first and introduced the young master to Barbara. She put her hand up to Keaton’s head and frail bony fingers felt the soft depths of hair on top of the young master’s head bringing a broad smile to Barbara’s face, a smile reflected in Keaton’s expression. Barbara had not smiled since coming into that ward.
I told her that Keaton was named after Buster Keaton. Once my words sunk in Barbara laughed, not a “polite” laugh but a laugh recalling a dimming memory of distant youth – at least that is how it pleased me to take it.
Keaton stood by Barbara’s bed beholding her and engaging her failing eyesight with a huge Newfoundland smile. Barbara said that she had a dog, and with prompting she recalled that it was a Miniature French Bulldog. I commented on the short coat compared to Keaton’s coat, she nodded. I compared the ease of looking after her dog compared to long-coated Keaton, and smiling, Barbara said, “Oh yes, much easier!” and said it with knowing warmth too!
When Barbara’s eyes drifted and thought strayed, so too did Keaton’s eyes drift, examining the cannula in the back of Barbara’s hand and the numerous little “wounds” on Barbara’s arm. I had Keaton sit before he “examined” with more than eyes, then chatted for a couple of minutes with the family and taking Keaton away I returned with Liquorice.
Barbara responded to Liquorice as she had done with Keaton, laughing at Liquorice’s name saying that it was “a good name” for my black girl! Once Barbara removed her hand, unlike Keaton, she seemed to lose sight of Liquorice. Probably Liquorice’s blackness became just another indistinguishable blob in her vision whereas Keaton’s whiteness better reflected the light.
Sadly when we returned that evening Barbara had no recollection of meeting Liquorice and Keaton a few hours earlier. But for all too few moments Keaton, and Liquorice, brought fleeting thoughts to a mind and touched a soul, briefly bringing them together before they parted again in the failing body that Barbara’s mind and soul did share.
With sadness, I must add that Barbara passed from this world not long after.
Arthur Witten
Liquorice – Everyone likes my name!
Keaton – Barbara smiled at me!