I don’t blame him, it is a horrible-damp, cold and miserable Night outside. The owner in the bar spent 10 minutes howling at Noddy to get out, but Noddy paid no attention, good boy! What is it that some people have to act like complete and total fools and then achieve nothing? Five minutes after the fool had gone, Noddy got up and walked out into the cold night. un-aided. Would the fool have felt better? more of a Maaaannnnnnnn?!
Well, as I said it’s a horrible night because now I’m out in it. I pass another dog, this is a Boxer bitch, she is the smartest, most lively/lovely Boxer bitch and she lives in a compound the size of a toilet. She used to love to run but the owner says she damaged trees, and she is happy in her prison, but I know better. We talk every day and I tell her she is a good girl and one day I will free her, but we both know she is lost. Sometimes, when they don’t clean her prison, she has to stand in her mess and she is so sweet, you can SEE her shame and embarrassment at having to stand in her own filth, and we both know it’s not her fault, but it doesn’t help. I say to the owner, “Look!!” but he replies, “she has food and water and shelter,” so I say “SHE has no freedom, how would you like to be in Jail with food and water and shelter and no freedom to just RUN. What dogs do!! RUN!!” But he walks away and thinks I’m some kind of ####!
I know another Boxer bitch, younger, perhaps sweeter. The owner says he loves her and leaves her outside the bar while he has a drink, no problem. But the other night she was stepping from foot to foot and I thought it was because she was happy, and she was, and as I stood there, in strong boots my feet got cold, then my legs, then the rest of me. The concrete floor was so cold she was stepping to keep her feet warm, or at least stop them from freezing. Would that be education? Because I tell you, be careful when interfering!
It is a Hound of the Baskervilles Night, the mist has come down on my hill and it feels like Dartmoor: cold, dark, damp, Scary! But not really, I quite like it. In the darkness, I hear the sounds of hooves, like padded coconuts. I stand dead-still, mouth-open, listening…listening for one or more of the Apocalypse Horses. The pounding hooves approach and a big black shadow sweeps past me. I breathe again, it is the Great Dane puppy from down the road, jet black, enormous, gangly and playful. “What are you doing out?” I ask, but he’s gone into the darkness, having a hell of a time. But he’s never allowed on the road, so I go the house and knock, but no-body’s at home, so I get the 2 meter puppy into the garden where he’s safe and carry on home, 2/3 minutes, and guess who’s there?
Now my place is all steps and it’s dark and raining and the Great Dane puppy really has no control over its’ feet at all. The cats have legged it and I’m terrified puppy will fall and break one of its’ stupid legs, but it doesn’t, it comes to me, eats all the catfood, drinks all their water, drinks some more from the pool and disappears into the night. He’s having a wonderful time. Later, I see he is un-harmed.
So now I’m home and sitting here writing. Noddy, the HAPPIEST little dog in the whole-wide-world Once he was part of a family, taken to the barbers frequently, slept in-doors, fed regularly, loved by children, loved by EVERYBODY. Then, a change, the owners had to fly. It Happens, but bless them, they did NOT destroy everything as they left, and thanks for that. I Am not into putting things to sleep. “How do you feel today, Granny? A little rough, don’t worry, Granny, I’ll put you to sleep, you won’t feel a thing.”
Anyway, Noddy and his Aunt now live on the street next to the cafe. Sometimes inside for 10 minutes or so, providing the fool is absent, or not. It really doesn’t matter, probably can’t remember the last time he had three-squares, nor the last time he slept in a bed, or had his fringe trimmed. Children still love him, of course, and here’s the thing, he is the happiest, tail-waggingiest little dog I’ve ever met. As if he doesn’t know what he’s lost or just takes it all in his stride, one more new adventure in his Life! How exciting! What a Brave little dog he is. Imagine if people showed such qualities.
This is Noddy’s Tale, I wish I could share it with you.
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Photo courtesy of the author.
Interesting moral here, accept Life and all it contains or moan about it all…