Coco the Big Dog

For those who might ask, Coco's Variety was named after my big dog, Coco. More reserved, more noble, less eager to please than my small dog, Eloise, Coco's presence was that of a royal.

I regret to inform that Coco passed away last week at the age of 16. She was a motorcycle sidecar aficionado, a gourmand, an Arctic explorer, a riverboat card sharp, a recognized authority on capybaras, a biplane pilot, a barrister, a gold prospector, and was expert in the repair of Tiffany lampshades.

Her quiet nobility always was, and always will be, an inspiration to me.