List of Previous Titles

Sunday, September 7, 2008

When Winter met Summer

Lady
Chester


Summer








Winter



All dogs depicted are actors

A Shaggy Dog Story

This is a dog love story, just to prove to those of you who are sceptical that animals have the power of true love and caring.

Winter is our big Golden Retriever. He is about eight years old, a real shaggy dog, and overweight, just as I am. He is a Spanish animal who joined our family about seven years ago. When I first encountered him he had been brought into an apartment by his owner, and the first thing he did was piss on the floor. The apartment was located on the beach, so among a lot of screaming about that disgusting dog he was taken outside and onto the beach where he promptly shat in the sand.

My impression was that this was one of the world’s most objectionable animals, and if he were mine I would shoot him. Six months later he was introduced into our family to avoid him being taken to the dog pound. We had another dog that we brought with us from Bermuda. I chose him from the local SPCA as he was the most dangerous looking one there. I wasn’t looking for a pet. I was looking for a killer. My wife had arrived home at the same time that someone was in the process of breaking into our home. My previous dog, a cross between a German Shepherd and a Collie, who I named Lady, had passed away at the age of seventeen. I needed a sentry with a license to kill to replace her.

Chester was his name, and when he took one look at Winter he wanted to tear his face off. Finally, after a lot of encouragement from the top dog, that’s me, the two of them settled and became the best of friends. But Chester had a freedom jones, he just had to roam. Give him half a chance and he would be gone, taking Winter with him. They once went walk-about for seven weeks.

At age fourteen Chester went off to doggy heaven, leaving Winter on his own. Chester had dominated Winter to such an extent that he didn’t even know if it was alright to eat. He grieved for the loss of his friend and I had to pay him extra special attention through daily walks and grooming to help him through his depression.

Then one day this skinny bitch just showed up. She was wearing a collar so she was cultured but very skittish. She made her appearance at the same time that Summer began, so it was a natural that she would be named Summer to us. Winter still had all his equipment but he was very confused about what he was supposed to do with it. Chester had been fixed so Winter thought he was a girl dog and tried it on. It was funny to watch that action. Chester sure put him right in a hurry, and since then Winter just seemed to forget about his kit.

Summer is a small dog, very skinny and as homey looking as they come. But, she was full of life and obviously very taken with our big bear of a friend. They had silent conversations and lots of smooching as she was always in his face. She would go outside the open gate and encourage him to follow. Evidently it was while they were away that Winter got his mojo working because it was not too long before she started putting on weight.
Then came a time when she went missing for a couple of days during which she gave birth to her litter. She then showed up again, all bouncy, happy and skinny again. She was all over the big guy and he was quite apparently delighted to see her. Eventually she persuaded him to come see his kids. Off they went, the happy parents to spend some quality time with the family. This scene has been repeated several times. Naturally we were curious and wanted to see what our big boy had helped to produce. However, she was having none of that. She never did lead us to the litter. In fact, clearly she belongs to a family, but I haven’t been able to trace her to her home.

Now, when I take him for a walk his entourage consists of me, Summer, and our cat Murphy. The cat makes a game of it by running on up ahead and hiding in the tall grass, only to jump Summer, who is hardly much bigger than a large cat herself. Summer is so nervous that she falls for the joke every time.

Lovely! Just lovely!

Copyright © 2008 Eugene Carmichael