Serve with integrity. Care about those you serve. Share the love in your heart & soul.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

#366 The Farmer's Dog - Another Jane Tale

The dog appeared one snowy day. Jane’s father, Jack, her Uncle Lee and her Grandfather saw it lying in the snow and took pity on it. The three of them decided it would be a good idea to feed it. With that in mind, they raided the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the pork chops were for supper. Needless to say, they caught hell from Grandma.

Apparently the dog belonged to a farmer who lived nearby. Jack returned the dog to the farmer, who indicated that he didn’t mind if the dog left the farm from time to time. Jack and the farmer became good friends.

It must have been around 3 AM when the family received a phone call from the policeman who was the beat cop for their neighborhood. The officer was being held up against the telephone pole where the call box was by the dog. Did I mention that the dog was a rather large St. Bernard? The gist of the conversation was, “Jack, come get your GD dog away from me!” After they were more properly introduced the dog and the cop became quite close. The dog would accompany the officer on his appointed rounds.

Jane was six or seven when the dog arrived on the scene. They became quite close. This was the time when she was quite ill and was bedridden for a number of months. During this time the dog was allowed to visit her in her room. It was also at this time when the dog went missing. No one, not even the farmer, had seen the dog for several weeks. Jack finally tracked the dog down in the poorer part of town. The dog was chained in a man’s yard. Jack confronted him and got the dog back. The man made some lame excuse that the dog had wondered on to his property and he had a right to keep him. We don’t the exact words Jack uttered, but it is believed that it had something to do with living a longer, pain free life.

Jack took the dog home. As soon as the front door was opened the dog bounded up three flights of stairs, ran into Jane’s room and leapt up on her bed, landing squarely upon Jane’s small, frail body. Everyone was afraid the dog would crush her. It did not. It knew just how to lie there and put no weight on her at all. Jane loved that dog. The feeling was mutual.

She never told me what happened to the dog. Perhaps I’ll remember to ask her some time.

#366

1 comment:

Karen said...

wuve woof-woof stories...

another great one, Jack!