Colin died this week. He was 14 1/2 years old. It was sudden congestive heart failure, I think.
He lived in New York City with his best buddy, Sean. He loved to go to the park and he really liked ice cream. All flavours of ice cream. He’d gobble it up while wearing dark sunglasses and carrying a backpack full of stuffed toys, including a Snoopy or two. He was just learning how to drive and he was very fond of sleeping.
I should probably clarify - before you begin to think this is the most depressing column ever, Colin was a dog. A West Highland White Terrier, or Westie, to be more specific. I’d never met Colin, but I loved reading his exploits on Facebook and seeing photos of him in those sunglasses, or sometimes, his night vision goggles. Colin, and by extension Sean, was a real character.
When I logged onto Facebook on Monday, I was sad to read he was ill and sadder still when I learned later that day that he’d passed away. I could tell from Sean’s many photos and stories about Colin that they were pals, so I felt heartbroken for Sean. I’ve been there - it’s hard to lose a friend, even when, or maybe especially when, he’s a furry friend.
That’s when something very sweet began happening. Other Westie owners posted photos of their furry friends wearing sunglasses as a tribute to Colin. Westies and their owners in the United States, Canada, Scotland and other countries began showing their support and understanding for Sean, this man most of us had never met, and for his little buddy.
A lot of the time, I’m horrified by some of the stuff I see on social media. People seem to hide behind the anonymity of their computers or mobile devices and feel like they can say whatever they want. I’ve also been deep into learning about cyberbullying this week - something that didn’t exist when I was growing up.
It has helped to remind me good things can come from social media. The only thing that binds those of us on this particular Facebook group is our love of Westies. They are irascible little terriers, full of Westitude with big hearts and a propensity for snuggling. With their snow white fur, jet black noses and dark brown, perfectly round eyes, they are cuteness personified. I might be slightly biased in saying that.
Colin was one of ours. Every day members of the group were kept up-to-date on his antics and exploits as Sean posted many photos and the occasional video. If he was absent from the group for any length of time we’d all wonder where he’d gone and if he was OK. As one of the more senior members of the group, it was natural for us all to worry about Colin. Westies typically live to be anywhere from 14 to 16 years of age. So Colin was living on borrowed time, but we still weren’t ready to see him go. Especially so suddenly.
So a tribute to Colin - in dark shades he was a breath of fresh air. I hope it has helped Sean to feel a bit better, if that’s possible, knowing Colin was so loved by a community of strangers. We’ll all miss him.
