COMMAERNTTARY
JAKE UNDERSTOOD US
By John Wilson
John Wilson
My wife Mary K and I have been blessed with
several wonderful dogs over the years, but one,
“Jake,” was different in many ways. To us, he
was the smartest, most sensitive and adorable
creature on four legs, well, three-and-a-half legs because of
an accident years ago, when he was hit by a car. He lost the
use of his left paw, which didn’t seem to move unless he was
chasing something.
Jake would tilt his little head to one side when we talked
to him, and his ears perked straight up as if he was trying
to understand us. He looked after my disabled mother in
Virginia for a decade. Before she passed, she begged us to
“take care of Jake,” and we did. This sweet Border Collie
mix bonded with us quickly, as he had visited us many
times with my mother. Jake took up with Mary K, just as he
had done with my mother years before when he showed
up at our home in Virginia as a stray puppy. He spent most
of his time by Mary K’s side in the kitchen, or in the living
room while we watched television. Every time she sneezed
or coughed, Jake would come over to her and nudge her
as if to say, “Here I am. What can I do?” We believe that
he tried desperately to communicate with us and that he
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listened to every word we said. We knew he understood
the word “go,” as every time we said it, he would jump up
and down with excitement, as he loved to ride in the car
and cuddle up on the center console between us or with
Mary K’s mother, Kathryn.
Diabetes eventually took his vision and some of his
spirit. When the time came, it was painful. We had done
all we could to take care of him, treat him and comfort him.
We held him until he closed his eyes for the last time. His
Rainbow Bridge awaited him.
That was a year ago, and he is now at rest. We buried
his ashes in the mountains of Virginia where he played and
took care of my mother. His endearing spirit lingers, and
we feel his presence every time we go back to Virginia. But
most of all, whenever I say “Let’s go,” I expect to see Jake
following us out the door. We surely do miss him. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: John Wilson ended 50-plus years of radio
and television news broadcasting with his final goodbye
on WTVT-Fox 13 on November 26, 2014, the day before
Thanksgiving.