THE BUD SAGA - PART 14

Weird things are happening in Blogspot.com. I have not been able to comment on Kilroy’s blog from my home computer for the past few days, so decided to try it from the office. The comment was accepted, but it went to Kilroy’s daughter-in-law in Vancouver, and I didn’t even have her e-mail address!!! A copy showed up in my Outlook Express too. Bizarre for sure. I’ll have to get my computer doc on the problem. It’s no longer just a frustration – it’s a puzzle, and I’m way too curious to let that go!

It’s a rock N roll week at the office, and I expect it will only get worse right up until the end of April. The days are flying by. We’ve been changing duties around some too – and, as usual, you can’t please everyone, so there is slight tension in the air. Some people have difficulty adapting to change, but it can’t be helped. Besides, learning to adapt is character enhancing, so the process is actually a favour in disguise. I’ll wait until it’s over to say that out loud though. With feelings the way they are right now, I am very sure the comment would not be appreciated, LOL.

Here’s the next chapter of my Bud Saga:

YOU WANT ME TO BABY-SIT WHAT??? - The End?

The phone rang three times before I could dredge up enough courage to pick up the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Hey there! Wanted to see how you’re doing, and how the pit is recuperating from his battle wounds.” Relief made me faint. It was my comrade who had helped with the dogfight and the cage. But the ID had said ‘Private’?

“Are you on your cell phone?” I asked, my voice still breathless.

“Yeh. Why do you ask?” his voice curious.

“The ID said it was a private caller. I thought it was our friend.” No doubt my voice was trembling.

“ Hey, yeh. I met Helen last night, She told me about his not being able to get back for awhile. Bummer…for both of you. How are you holding up? The pit quieted down any?” His voice was loaded with sympathy, and that was my undoing. The tears started, and try as I might, I couldn’t hold them back. Between gulping and nose blowing, I laid it all on him…the vet’s insinuation of my incompetence, the pit’s mess in my car, Helen calling and the way she had delivered her message, “she was so rude!”, my beer binge and consequential headache, “it must have been the tequila”, then finally the intruder episode and Bud’s reaction. He listened through the whole spiel, now and then making the appropriate comforting noises, until I mentioned the morning event.

“It was Mike, you say?” he asked.

“Yes, and I don’t like that guy much.” I told him the reason Mike had given me for his visit. There was a moment of silence.

“Well, maybe you should be thanking the pit then,” my comrade said thoughtfully. “Mike came into the restaurant just when Helen and I were finishing our conversation last night. There’s no way he could NOT have heard her tell me that our friend wouldn’t be back for at least six months. He knew you were alone there.” Then he chuckled. “But he did arrive too late to hear the horror stories about the pit…guess he didn’t get the welcome he was expecting. I don’t think he’ll bother you again, but I’ll have a word with him just the same.”

Great, so now I have a stalker to contend with too! To hell with this quiet country life. I wanted to get back to my big city where at least you knew the dangers

He was still talking, this time about Helen. “She’s a nice lady. Gotta admit she doesn’t sugar-coat anything before spitting it out. Sometimes it seems rude, but she doesn’t mean it like that. It’s just her German way of saying things, and her accent makes it sound worse. She does have a good heart though, and will help you if you want. She wasn’t calling or going around there ‘cause you didn’t ask, and she wouldn’t want you to think she was checking up on you.” Mmm...okay...if you say so.

His next words were a boon! “Listen, why don’t you stay in the city a couple of days? I’ll go with Helen and look in on the dogs…feed ‘em and let them out. We both think you could use a break, and I’m only leaving on Wednesday. The pit doesn’t know me that well, but if I’m with Helen he should be okay.” I was agreeing before he finished the sentence. Yes, yes and YES!

His tone more serious, he added, “If you decide to stay in the city, I’ll help Helen to close up the house before I leave.” The unspoken words were there... ‘and take care of the dogs…one of them forever’. I turned to look at Bud…but where was he? I’d been concentrating on the conversation, and hadn’t noticed how quiet it was in the house. The labs were lying in their usual spots, but the pit was nowhere to be seen. Asking my comrade to hold on, I put down the phone and went to investigate. I found him upstairs, surrounded by shreds of leather which had once been my expensive winter boots!

“YOU LITTLE SH*T!!” I was livid. He lifted his head, looked at me, then sat waiting, half of the second boot still hanging from his mouth. I grabbed a pillow off the bed and shot it at him. He darted out of aim, then made a beeline for the steps. He stood behind the couch, watching, as I clumped down after him. I was still sputtering obscenities when I walked over to pick up the phone….and saw his neck cone half under the kitchen table. Oh no! With all the commotion yesterday, I had forgotten to put it back on him, and now its condition was pretty much the same as my boots…in pieces. I snatched up the receiver.

“ARRG!” My frustration took over. “I don’t know if I can last until tomorrow morning with that little Sh*t!” I exclaimed. My comrade listened as I vented, letting me wind down. All the while I was glaring at Bud. He, of course, paid no attention, and was already starting to tease the labs who, in turn, were beginning the growl and snap routine.

“I have to get them outside before they all drive me crazy,” I said into the phone

“Okay. But, hey, an idea. There are Pit-bull Club sites on the internet. Maybe you could check them out. Those people know the breed well. They might be able to help you, tell you what to expect…”

I cut him off abruptly. “Never mind! I’m not going to need it! I’m SO outta here! Tell Helen they’re all hers. I’m going to the city tomorrow morning and not coming back. Thanks anyway for your help.” He wisely withdrew, told me he would catch me later, and we rang off.

The dogs were getting noisier, so I put them outside, making sure to tie Bud to the gallery chain. I needed coffee before going to join them, and more aspirin. Damn this headache. And damn that dog! And damn this whole situation!

(To be cont’d)

The sun is out there – another beautiful day. February has spoiled us with such nice weather…and with two gold medals (and more on the way, I am sure) for our Canadian athletes. Ah, life is good!

Sending you my biggest SMILE, and wishing you a terrific day!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.