Hundred and Twenty Six

'Ruthie was my dear wife Grace's dog. They went everywhere together. When she passed away Ruthie didn't eat for a month. She grew very thin. We both moped. We loved her and missed her so terribly. Grace and I were married for 51 years'.
'Oh my gosh. That's amazing'.
'It passed just like that Philippa. One day we were young and carefree and the next we were in bed together with wrinkles. Can you believe it?'
'When did she pass away?'
'It will be four years ago this coming December. Already. And yet it seems long... And you always think that death will be dramatic, but no. It was cancer, nothing spectacular. It was quiet - a gradual fading really. She refused all treatment. She said 'I'm not having operations and chemotherapy at my age' - she was 75 - and she was stubborn so there was no arguing with her. She... accepted it. I didn't. I didn't accept it at all'.
'I'm really sorry'.
'Oh no. Don't be. We had a wonderful life together. More happy years than anyone has the right to expect'.
'Do you have children?'
'No, we couldn't. But we had dogs. And I still have Ruthie'.
'I really can't imagine being with someone for 51 years'.
'You know how we met? It was on the corner of 7th Avenue and 37th Street in Manhattan. It was a wet, windy spring day. The skies opened and we found ourselves sheltering together in a doorway. And we got talking and...'
'That was it'.
'And that was it. So I always say thank God for the rain! Now where are the dogs?'
'I can see them. They're under the Tree of Heaven'.


'It's art George'.
Art my arse!
'It is. It's art for the community'.
They're houses for squirrels and birds Ms Fields.
'Don't call me that. Just call me Ruthie'.
It shouldn't be allowed. No it shouldn't. No it should not. No/
'Why not?'
Because squirrels in particular - and I should know - have been allowed to do whatever they like in these gardens and now they think they own the place and walk all over the paths and benches.
'Well when I arrived you were climbing up onto that bench over there even though you were being told not to and now we're both standing in the middle of the path. We all have to learn to live together peacefully George'.
'With squirrels?! I AM NOT GOING TO LIVE PEACEFULLY WITH SQUIRRELS! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!
'I'm not saying it's easy. That's why we have to learn it/'
And another thing. Just because you have a surname Ms Fields doesn't mean you understand things more than me.
'I never said it did. And please just call me Ruthie'.
In fact you may be interested to know that I probably have a surname too.
'It's really not an important thing'.
No but just so you know.
'OK then'.
I just don't know what it is because when I went to Battersea they lost it.
'Are you a Battersea dog?'
I am, yes, and there's nothing wrong with it.
'No I know. What was Battersea like?'
I don't feel like talking about it right now. In fact I think I want Pips. Pips?
'George don't go'.
PIPS! PIPS!
'I didn't mean to upset you'.