Fred
Grandad February 22nd, 2008
I had to go out yesterday, but that’s another story.
As I drove up my lane on the way home, I met an old man. I slowed the car as he seemed confused. He eventually stepped to one side and I drove in my gate.
I went over to him then and asked if he was all right. He had a frightened look in his eyes. He looked at me and whispered so I could barely hear.
"I’ve lost my dog."
"What colour is he?" I asked.
He didn’t seem too sure. He looked about him as if expecting a prompt from the wind.
"Black," he murmured. He then shuffled off down the lane with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
-oOo-
Much later, I called in to visit a neighbour. We had a grand old chat about this and that. I got up to go. As I was heading for the door, my neighbour mentioned that they had a strange dog in the back garden. My neighbour is scared of dogs, so I went out on my own into the dark.
There was a tiny terrier standing on the patio. He wasn’t looking at me. He wasn’t looking at anything. He was very old and obviously blind. I think he may have been deaf too. I crept softly up to the dog and put my hand under his nose, to let him get my scent. He trembled a bit and then relaxed, so I gave him a gentle petting.
I rushed back out to the main road and called into the house where the old man lived. I banged on the door. The old lady of the house answered and looked at me suspiciously, until she saw who it was. She looked tired, drawn and worried.
"You lost a dog?" I asked. There was a gleam of hope in her eyes as she nodded.
"Is he blind?" I asked gently. She nodded again, and a tear began to form.
"Wait there," I said, and rushed back to my neighbours. The dog relaxed when I picked him up. He knew my scent now, but was still a bit scared. I carried him as gently as I could back to the old woman. Her husband had joined her at the front door. They looked very alone, standing there waiting.
As I walked into the pool of light from the porch, they saw the dog. The fear and hope gave way to joy. The old man held out his arms, and I gave him the dog to cuddle. "Fred," was all he said. He was crying.
The woman too was crying. She said they had spent the day looking for Fred. She had washed him the day before and had forgotten to put his collar back on. And then that morning, in a moment of absence, her husband had left the gate open. They had been frantic with worry. They had searched high and low and had walked the entire neighbourhood. Fred was their comfort and joy. They feared he was dead as he couldn’t protect himself from cars, being blind. They had been heartbroken.
They thanked me as I left. "You don’t know what this means to us," the woman said. "I think I do," I replied and left them to their reunion.
As I walked home in the dark, the thought struck me…….
Fuck! That’ll be us in a few years time!
- Getting old
- Comments(28)
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That’s a great story G. A real touching humanity about it.
Now you have been warned!
Behave or K8 will put you out without your collar!
I liked that.
Welcome 73man! Underneath this crusty exterior lies a heart of pure gold. I’m currently trying to trade it in for hard cash. Much more useful.
Grannymar - Be nice to your children, for they will choose your retirement home!
Thrifty - I try to do something nice every year or so. The joy on their faces brought a lump to my throat.
A few years time?
I’d be upset if we lost either of our dogs now.
They don’t hurt you the way people do.
You know me, Ian. I have a much higher regard for my dog than I do for most people. I lost her once and was as frantic.
You could see in the old couple’s faces though, that Fred was the centre of their world. He was their child. Seeing their faces was a thousand times better than winning the lottery!
Like Ian said, thats me now with our wee Honey.
Great story GD. A nice birthday present for you. Oops! Was I supposed to mention that?
It must have been the day for saving dogs in our area.
I went for a run in the evening, and had a chat with the local farmer on the way home. He had a puppy with him that was jumping all over me (in usual puppy fashion). After I left him I turned onto the main road, but had to wait for a car about 50m on. When I stopped I noticed the puppy had followed me, and was in the middle of the road!
I stopped the car, and picked up the puppy. I was half way back up the lane when I encountered the Farmer’s car coming down. He was delighted to see the puppy, he thought he was a gonner
Red Mum - People can be devious and self serving. Dogs are always loyal and true friends. They love you unconditionally [provided you feed them, walk them, play the odd game of tennis with them and let them borrow the car from time to time].
Neighbour - Birthday is Old News [pun intended]. K8 spilled the beans. So yesterday was a good day for dogs. That always makes me happy.
Where do you stand on cats Grandad?
Grandad - my cat has been missing for 3 weeks. Can you come round our way and have a look?
Terence - Depends on my mood. Usually on their heads.
Feebee - I don’t find cats. They usually steer well clear of me.
Aw, what a sweet story. I’m so happy you found their dog.
Reminds me of a story…a few years back I was visiting a friend and there was a cute black lab running around her yard. I asked her if she knew who the dog belonged to and she didn’t so I took the dog home and called the owner. I lived a town over from her and found out that the dog lived right next door to my friend,lol. I practically took the dog from his own yard. I thought I was doing a good deed,lol.
Tanya - But the dog got a nice drive, and ended up at home? A happy story!
This is a really lovely story. I felt as much sympathy with the frightened little dog as with the couple. Dogs need their people. We look after a dog sometimes when his friend goes away, and he is always miserable until he returns… and that’s with a room full of people and a wam bed, not standing alone in a strange garden.
JA - I felt exactly the same way. The dog was terrified, and was delighted to smell his ‘family’ and familiar surroundings.
Our dog is a pain though. She hates one or the other of us to go out without her and is very anxious until we are all together again. Unless, of course, she’s in the car. That’s why we have to bring her everywhere!
I have said for many years now, that the more I know people, the better I like dogs.
Grandad..what a beautiful story. I could even picture that elderly couple and their dog, and being that I am owned by a similar type animal, I know their fear and their joy at getting Fred back.
You are a nice man grandad…I dont care what you say differently.
Laurie - I couldn’t agree with you more. I love dogs. But…..
“You are a nice man grandad…I dont care what you say differently.”
stop spreading malicious tales, or I’ll see you in court.
Can’t fool me Grandad - you’re a big softy and you know it! But I have to admit, that final sentence caught me offf guard and made me laugh out loud! Thanks, I needed that!
Olga - Lies. All lies. Just ask the fifteen Romanian families who I evicted from my garden shed because they were an hour late with the rent.
Poor OLD Fred - well done for rescuing him (and his owners), Grandad.
We have a much-adored Fred too who’s black…
But he’s a C-A-T!
I’m not used to you being such a big softy and kept thinking that there would be a twist to the tale… or even tail
Steph - I don’t talk about cats much, even though we have one. You didn’t know that, did you? I must write about her sometime.
And I am NOT a big softy. Yech!
You’re supposed to make me laugh, you old rapscallion, not cry!
But what a lovely story, and thank goodness the old dog didn’t meet one of the many large and heavy vehicles tearing up and down your road with missing wing mirrors and the like!
I’m sorry Karyn.
Bloody hell! I’m really getting it in the neck today. I’m not funny? I’m soft. What do you people want of me?
Anyway, I don’t try to be funny. I just tell it like it is.
Awww .. I loves me dawg so much, she wears a collar that gives her an electric shock if she goes beyond the boundary!
You’re a class act- and funny too.
Quovadis - Thank you and welcome!!