My overall impression
All of us who have had a long-term relationship with a dog sheepishly admit that often they are more fulfilling than many relationships with humans. That’s easy to understand – there is really no guile in a dog. They are forgiving, unconditional vessels of love and adoration. To a sensitive and introverted man living and working in New York, Abby was John Grady’s constant companion, navigating with him through his uneasy alliances with females, his therapy visits to severely handicapped patients, his experimentations with ‘doga’, a dog and human yoga class -in other words, sharing his life.
Abby was a Bernese Mountain Dog, with an average life span of 7 years. She lived 13 years, gracing John with the longest (serious) relationship he had ever had to that point. He promised her early on, at the end of her life, she would not suffer. As he recounts his life with Abby and living through his decision and the ultimate experience of witnessing her death, he is neither morbid or sentimental. In fact, for the most part, he is full of awe. He shares eloquently, and bravely, a connection that defies the false importance of words, tapping into that more animal frequency of gestures as cues to feelings and needs. As a result, John’s gestures as he retells his store of Abby in Fear Factor, Canine Edition, carry as much importance as his words; graceful, funny, heart-breaking, full of cues to feelings, needs.
He is giving a few more performances in the next few weeks, this was just the preview. Don’t miss him, he’s wonderful.