Profile Story on Patricia McIntosh

 At 6:30 every morning, a 3-year-old Labrador Retriever, named Sparkles, bounces down Murdock Road, dragging her owner, Patricia McIntosh, along for the ride. 

They do a 10-minute trot to Saint Albans Park and go for one lap around the track. Then they circle back home, before it’s time for Patricia to leave for work. By the time they get back, the water in the electric kettle will have finished boiling. It’ll still be hot enough for Patricia to make one packet of cinnamon raisin oatmeal, but more importantly, her peppermint tea - no sugar.    

It’s hard to miss the pair on their daily walks, as Patricia stands at 5 feet, 11 inches tall, or ''six feet on a good day,” as she puts it. Throughout the week she is a dream in her colorful scrubs. Her family is from Saint Vincent and she says she channels the vibrance of the island in her outfits. 

Naturally, she couldn’t allow Sparkles to prance around the neighborhood unadorned. Sparkles’ lavender harness contrasts beautifully with her shiny jet black coat. The rhinestones in her collar coordinate perfectly with Patricia’s bedazzled crocs. 

However, when the pair was first introduced in May of 2020, Patricia had no idea they would compliment each other so well. 

“When I first met Sparkles I wasn't the person I am now,” she said. 

Patricia has taken various career paths over the years, but she became a licensed nurse in 2019. Unfortunately, her excitement to continue her career in the medical field was almost extinguished by the realities of the pandemic. She had to take on more patients and watch, as many of them quickly fell to their demise. “I’m a nurse, I’m used to seeing death, but nothing can prepare you for that amount of loss,” she said, stroking some of the twisted strands at the nape of her neck. 

Yet, she cushions the pain of those losses with memories of her patients, like Ms.Ruth who Patricia says was “a fiend” for Cadbury chocolate bars, or Mr.Abraham, who she could never beat in chess. 

At the same time, Patricia was dealing with struggles in her personal life. Her best friend of 22 years, Nancy, lost her father to COVID-19. Nancy moved to Florida to support her mother. 

“Men come and go but me and Nancy are a forever thing,” the 38-year-old said, with a warmth in her dark brown eyes. She says not having Nancy there in a time of crisis made her feel even more alone. 

Patricia’s mother, Shirley MacIntosh, noticed her daughter struggling and brought Sparkles to her. Arm in arm, they sat on Patricia’s back porch reminiscing about the day. Meanwhile, Sparkles sat contently next to the two, resting her head on Shirley's knee. 

“I told her it was the worst possible birthday present she could have given me. It was hard enough dragging my own self out of bed, let alone a dog,” Patricia said. With an unapologetic grin on her face, Shirley said, “no one ever knows what they need until I get it for them.”

Patricia never wanted children. Before Sparkles, her house and her plants were the only things she had to look after. Her home was left to her by her grandparents, who purchased it when they first came to the United States. The two-story is filled with character and memories, from the polished wood floors to the transom windows and ornate molding. It’s a well-preserved ode to the past. Yet, Patricia’s style is very minimal, without feeling empty or unfinished. Everything has its place and its purpose, with few exceptions.

Then, there are her plants. Some were left by her grandmother, while others are her personal additions. They are scattered around the house, decorating every corner. Her favorite is a Marble Queen Pothos that hangs from the kitchen ceiling, its leaves framing a window looking out to the backyard. It’s been in that spot for as long as she can remember. 

Patricia credits her botanical success to the fact that she regularly serenades her plants. She usually belts out songs from her favorite artists like Sade, Solange and SZA.   

“She had stopped all that hollering for a while before she got that dog,” said Billy Coen, her next-door neighbor. “Ever since, she’s been back at it again. But hey, more power to her! Sounds like she’s enjoying herself,” he said chuckling. 

The other residents of Addisleigh Park may be catching a morning jog, driving their kids to school or leaving for work, but they never miss an opportunity to call out “Hi Sparkles!” and wave to Patricia. Sparkles usually responds with a friendly bark and sometimes she’ll approach her favorite neighbors for a quick pet. Every day, her eyes widen and her tail sways, like she’s seeing the world for the first time.

“She’s so social, so it’s made me come out of my shell more,” Patricia said, “I think I needed that.”

Now, Patricia doesn't spend as much time watching reruns of Monk, on her pillowy couch. She actively seeks new adventures. Patricia even has a road trip planned in June, with Nancy, who is moving back to New York. 

No matter where she goes she tries to find new dog parks for Sparkles to socialize. It turns out Sparkles is quite the matchmaker. When Patricia took her to her first dog park, Sparkles walked over to a Pug, named Frank. Frank’s owner, Langston, is now Patricia’s boyfriend of two years. Needless to say, they’ve been spending a lot of time together. 

A lot has changed for Patricia in the past couple of years. As she reflected on her ongoing journey, she recited words of wisdom from her mother. “Sometimes when we lose someone or something in life, it’s not always a bad thing, or a permanent thing,” Patricia said,  “sometimes, we’re making room for more blessings.” Although Patricia won’t ever say it to her, she admits that her mother was right - this time.