[powerpress]
Mira and I have been walking our dogs at Ft Funston in San Francisco a lot lately, and naturally these excursions have led to conversations about the dogs we have loved who walk with us no longer—my Sam, Alex, and Candy Pants, and her Elchanan, Pooch, and Ziggy Ziggurat Zussman. When it came time to record today’s Kaddish, it was clear we needed to do one for her recently departed Tibetan terrier, Mr. Ziggurat. —Erin
That would be Dr. Ziggurat, I think. For Zig was a specialist of sorts in his own right. Not quite dog, not quite human — he occupied that liminal space between. A shape-shifter who could speak and sing and embody some of humanity’s best and worst traits. He had them all down. Addictions to things that ought to kill him (like chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, T, and grass — and oh, yeah, belly dancers). He fought, he danced, he channeled Jim Morrison (and there are witnesses). He was fairly insane for a dog, and maybe for a human as well. Little Zig, you were our sense of humor when we needed it most. Thank you for keeping it light and keeping it honest (at least sometimes). Each day at Funston that I encounter one of your ilk, I am reminded of your terrible / delightful ways, your fans and your detractors. You are ever with us — and still we miss you, little one, and still we miss you. — Mira