Ruby - No 6

She was an adorable dog and followed my neighbour Joan on her daily walks. They lived opposite me for eighteen years now. The first few years I noticed Joan and John went on vacation they were an older couple in their seventies and we had received Xmas cards saying Joan, John and Ruby.

Few years down the line I realised I had not seen much of John not realising he had fallen ill and later was moved to care home in the Horn church area. So that would mean for the following years Joan and ruby lived at home at No 6.

When ever we received Xmas cards it always would say No 6 on the card and would have Joan and Ruby. I started to think of Ruby as a human being. On my way to walk in the mornings I will see Joan and Ruby and we could chat for hours and she would finally say to me Ruby had been to the vet this week and had her nails cut or she had to go in for a routine check up.

As we stood and chatted sometimes at weekends other dogs could be walking by with their owners Ruby would bark at them and Joan would say Ruby is seeking attention. She as such a lovely Dog Ruby.

Until one day as we were chatting a car drove by and Ruby barked again at all types of cars that drove by, if care was not taken Ruby would jump in front of oncoming traffic or buses. As Joan lived on a bus route I would think Ruby will be used to the traffic by now but she was not, she was very playful.

Ruby was in charge of No 6 as far as I was concerned, she would sit at the front door, each time I went there to share some cakes if it was my husband or daughter’s birthday. She would sit quietly and then she will let me in to the house and Joan would offer me a cup of tea.

I forgot my keys one day and was locked out, Joan had invited me to wait at hers, Ruby was sitting at the foot of the table and was watching the television, she had her favourite TV programme Coronation Street and strictly come dancing.  Once the music began she began to dance and would wag her tail in the air. She sat on all fours and would move from side to side.

Once Joan went to the kitchen, she followed her to make me a drink, she also sat quietly at times for long periods with no movement on the carpet. I had to ask Joan if she was sleeping.  I cannot tell you what Joan will do with out Ruby as they are always together whenever I see her. She is her life and strength and they loved each other. it would seem Ruby came into Joan life once John moved to the care home and once he passed on,I think Joan found something in Ruby that she could no longer get from John.

Ruby was company, she is a pet, she is character, she had charisma and was full of energy. She is adorable and I once asked Joan where she found Ruby. She informed me she got her from one of the local shelters in Hornchurch.

Her younger son had bought Ruby for Joan when his dad passed, he perhaps knew Joan will need some company as she had been married to John for 52 years. I once asked Joan what Ruby meant to her…..

She said with tears in her eyes, she is my everything, I talk to her tell her things I cannot share with my John or my grandchildren. When I get fed up a times he comes and sits by my feet and starts to paw at them. She knows when I am happy and when I am not happy.

My son visits at the weekend and Ruby knows what time they arrive and then she sits by the door pouch waiting for them to arrive. Once they arrive she alerts Joan to come and open the door and starts barking.

There was a Christmas I was searching for a present for Joan and Ruby. I bought a calendar with dogs and also a can of biscuits with a dog on it will seem Ruby became very important to Joan and also very important to all of us

When I see Joan and Ruby is not with her I would ask where is Ruby s she alright? Ruby ensures Joan goes for her daily walks, she watched over the garden and the house when Joan is out and about. She goes to her doctor or attends her groups or goes to the pharmacy but one thing I have noticed is that Joan has never put her in the car when she is leaving the house?

I found that odd but I have never summed up the courage to ask Joan why that was the case as I see dogs in cars in my local area. I am aware Ruby is a Jack Russell and she has actually encouraged us in our household to have a dog. I want to believe that Ruby is God sent and a good match for Joan and when her son got Ruby he probably knew what his mum would like because they seem like they cannot do with out each other .

Ruby celebrated her twelfth birthday about a year ago and Joan had invited all the other dogs in the area to her back garden as she had always walked Ruby so they had made some friends in the local area. They all came dressed up in Pink as pink was Ruby’s favourite colour. It seemed very glam and they had few races in the back garden and games as she had set up the garden like a show they have on Television where the dogs go on competition. Two bigger dogs won prizes, but Ruby had her favourite dog amongst the bunch and she sat with him all the time. it was such a lovely act by Joan to have a party for Ruby in her back garden.

Happy Twelfth birthday to Ruby from No 6.