Heavenly Beverley : What's In A Name?

Names are particular and sometimes peculiar labels. They invoke faces, personas, connotations, memories, recognition, love and occasionally fear or anger. I prefer to think of that opening scene in "Love Actually" of people greeting each other with joy and affection and amazement. The vast majority of the names I recall are all to do with love.

Muddy the Red Heeler, beloved by Ryan and named after the blues musician Muddy Waters, passed from his sweet beautiful life on Saturday. His death and that of all the pets we have adored are always painful as they mostly die before us. We are left with grief and regret and longing. We are also left with all that was wonderful, funny and special.

Muddy and Ryan came into our lives whilst we were still resident at the House That Rocks. Ryan parked his bus in our spare paddock and Muddy was immediately inducted into the Gang of Four. Not that he ever put a paw wrong. The Beagle was the bane of his existence as she perpetually worked out how to remove the lid of Muddy's biscuit. And consume vast quantities of the canine diet delights.

I remember Muddy as security detail in the Gallery, Muddy as Ryan's trade assistant, Muddy as the Dog around Town and Muddy ever reluctant to leave the comfort of our tile fire. And when I think of Muddy, I see the face of a handsome red dog rather than that of a Black American muso. Call me a Philistine if you wish...

On the other hand, the name Ruby fills me with annoyance, disbelief, disturbance and exasperation, all mixed up in a messy package along with pure love. How else would we put up with the antics of the Beagle if we didn't love her with all our hearts? On the reasonably frequent occasions that she has had to be carted off to the vet, we have been consumed by anxiety and dread. And where would I find the outrageous fodder for my posts about the Problem Child if she wasn't here anymore? Ye Gods, I can feel my heart reluctantly melting as I write this...

Ruby, otherwise known as Madame Cat, is also Michael's nightly dominatrix. He always sleeps better if she is just within the reach of his outstretched hand. We have often considered that hospital stays would be a great deal more tolerable if the Fickle Fairweather Feline was permitted to board with him. Though she would be pretty useless helping him to the loo.

Recently, the Cat has begun costing us a small fortune. We had been profoundly relieved with the news that her blood pressure is now under control, her renal disease stable and her eyesight not deteriorating any further. However, monthly check-ups at the vet are our penance. This involves placing the said indignant cat in her carrier, enduring a fifty-minute feline yodel all the way to Northam, leaving her for blood pressure monitoring and a blood test, paying a King's ransom and suffering the plaintive yowling all the way home. Then, of course, there is the special diet and the daily tiny tablet that we have to plant in the back of her protesting mouth whilst she is wrapped up like a burrito.

Then there is Red. the Pirate Gallery Parrot, Red from the "The Shawshank Redemption" and "RED", the laugh out loud (and quite violent) movie featuring some of my acting idols. When a film has John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman (amongst others) in a high voltage sendup of the CIA, it certainly delivered as a seat-of-my-pants ride rather than a dud.

Red the Parrot is a typical Australian bloke. Rude, messy, opinionated, with a squawk that rattles one's head internally, he only speaks when he wishes, has more facial expressions than I ever imagined a bird could possess and bitterly resents having his wing clipped. Very much like some Australian males, now I come to think of his traits. Once, whilst being bird-sat, he greeted Vicki with the fantastic opening lines of "Hello Fathead. Give us a kiss?". Needless to say, she declined.

Sure, there are names that I would prefer not recalling. However, in the great scheme of things, there are far more names in my repertoire that conjure delight, amusement, respect and love. Always love.

Somewhat unfortunate names...