Lucky Lady with the smiling face

MY PET

LET me tell you. Lady was a small greyhound with a long pointy nose and tall pointy ears, their tips meeting to form a perfect triangle. Sometimes she couldn’t be bothered, and just sent one ear up.

When asleep her long silky ears folded back over her long white neck. An elegant, noble creature. Her black and white coat was shiny and silky. She smiled all the time and I smiled too when I was with her.

She was not always so elegant. Not too long ago, her coat was dirty grey. Her ribs and back bone stood out. She kept her long tail low between her back legs. She was starving. I found her — or should I say she found me — in the middle of the night, in the middle of a country road as if hitching a lift. I had to swerve to avoid her. I could see in my rear view mirror that she hadn’t moved from the middle of the road. I pulled in. Like a regular hitch-hiker she started to run towards me — or more of a stagger as Name: Lady Finest hour: Being saved Likes: Sleeping in front of Aga Dislikes: Being outside in cold and rain she could barely stand up. I already had three dogs in the car and was anxious as to how they or she might react. The poor bedraggled creature arrived panting and leaned against me. I lifted her into the car. The others stayed quiet. They seemed to know that she needed all our support. At that very moment a double decker bus came thundering down the road, headlights blazing, passing over the very spot the dog had stood only moments earlier.

Arriving home, she collapsed on to one of the doggie beds in the kitchen. There she stayed for the next 24 hours, mostly asleep. She gobbled down the food I gave her and stole even more. But I couldn’t be cross with her. I took her to the vet. I gave her a sudsy bath which she liked, and called her Lady. Lady followed me everywhere. If she couldn’t find me, she charged round the house like a cartoon dog, sliding down the hall, up and down stairs, in and out of rooms. I called her name to tease. Her ears shot up. “Where are you?” she yapped.

I snuggled my face against her long soft neck and told her she was my favourite but not to tell the others. She was still jealous and shouldered the others out of the way.

Which of us got the better deal? Lady thought she did. But I know I was the winner.

My lovely Lady passed away some months ago much to my distress. We enjoyed five great years together.

I still miss her. Aida Lennon Dublin 14

If you would like your pet featured in this column please send a story of 440 words and a photograph to snews@independent.ie clearly labelled MY PET.