In the summer of 2007, as I was grieving the loss of a heart dog, three delightful little Maltese came into my life courtesy of Ohio Maltese Rescue after having lived their entire lives in a puppy mill. The youngest of the three was a sweet and shy little munchkin, hiding behind the others but taking in his surroundings with bright, inquisitive eyes. He captured my heart immediately and I named him Andy
in honor of a dear friend.
The little trio, affectionately nicknamed “The Maltese Mafia,” brought so much joy into my life as they learned about life “on the outside.” They were inseparable, with 12-year-old Marra as their leader, 11-year-old Karma as the instigator, and 7-year-old Andy who always managed to look innocent. For instance, when they would sneak into the cat room to “snack” from the litter box, I would discover Marra running from the scene, Karma sprawled out in a litter box, and Andy sitting by the door with a wide-eyed “I didn’t do nuffin'” look on his sweet little face. And I believed him, even with the telltale traces of cat litter stuck in his beard.
Andy also has a special nickname, Winkie Boy. The official story behind the name is that he was the only male in the group. The real story is that he had such cute little freckled winkie! He learned to answer to that name, though, so it got shortened to “W.B.” and “Binker” so as not to embarrass him (or his dad!) in public. And at home he was “The Dancing Winkie” at med time because of his tremendous enthusiasm for braunsweiger!
After Marra crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2011 and then Karma in 2012, Andy became more of a mama’s boy. It was as if he was seeking comfort from me for his losses, just as he had comforted me years ago. Whenever I was home, he was with me … on my lap, sitting next to me, sleeping on my pillow. He was never demanding; he just liked to be close. And I loved it too.
This sweet, sensitive little soul battled so many health issues over the past two years and finally, today, they won. I know he is happy and free from his struggles, and reunited with his beloved friends Marra and Karma who, I am sure, are showing him where all the good stuff is. But even so, I still wish I could see my little Winkie Boy dance for treats
just one more time.
Forever in our hearts,
| Andy |
| 10, Apr 2013 |
| John & Bekye Eckert |