THE VISIT

Each day will bring you a new experience; some of them normal, some totally unexpected. My yesterday fell into the latter category.

I hadn’t been up long when the dogs' wild barking warned me there was a stranger in the yard. Still in pyjamas, hair uncombed, and slightly groggy from the cold medicine ingested the night before, I went out onto the gallery to see who was there.

Every parent’s heart will skip a beat when a police car shows up in his/her yard, and there were two of them parked in mine! Each of my children, then my grandchildren, spun though my thoughts...an edge of panic had me wide awake now.

The cars were empty, and I couldn’t see the officers anywhere. I had left my garage door wide open to air the place out, and I wondered if they had entered by there and were coming up the stairs in the front. The dogs were making such a ruckus! I hushed them sharply, and it was only when they shut it down that I heard someone calling. I peered out and under the balcony where the entry to my grandson’s apartment is found. A female Agent was looking up at me, and right behind her was second uniform, a male.

“What kind of dogs do you have?” she was asking.

What??

On hearing the voice, Grump and Smooch started up again, racing along the gallery, trying to find a way down. It took a minute to silence them, and during that time I realized that from where she was standing the Agent couldn’t get a good view of the noisy creatures, and she didn’t seem too interested in climbing closer. Her question wasn’t so dumb after all.

"They’re pits.” I answered her. Then with a touch of belligerence, “Why?”

It was with a mixture of relief and consternation that I listened to her explanation. This wasn’t about any of my loved ones being hurt, nor even about my dogs. It was about Sally, my neighbour’s Rottweiler, that had apparently bit a lady, and the police were following up on the complaint. I expressed my disbelief, telling them Sally was a good dog, kept mostly in her yard now because of her cancer. They knew the owner’s first name, and that there was a husky/wolf mix there too (Louka); in short, they had been to the neighbour’s house, but because no-one was home, they were not sure they had the right place, so moved on to visit me. Sending up a silent and grateful ‘Thank YOU!’ that my boys were blocked on my gallery when these Agents showed up,, I stated once again that Sally and Louka were never a problem, that the lady must have been trespassing, and ended the conversation there. The only other thing I said was to wonder aloud why they each had their own car, and this as they were getting into their vehicles.

“I was just in the area, so came along.” the male answered me.

Yeh, right, you sneaky buggers. I could tell he knew what I was thinking, but he owed me nothing more, of course. They rolled out of my lane, and I saw them turn into the neighbour’s driveway. I heard the thump of their car doors closing; then Sally barking from where she was locked inside the house.

I know Sally’s master will give me the follow-up – we watch out for each other’s dogs when we can. A plus - the Rot has had her rabies vaccination, so it should make negotiation easier. She is a sweet dog, though maybe a little grouchy since starting her chemo, but I still suspect that the lady was where she shouldn’t be if Sally really did bite her. I guess we all need to put up some ‘Beware of Dogs’ signs around our properties, if only for our own protection.

Grump and Smooch were overdue for their stroll outside, and were spinning around my feet, doing their best to remind me that I was being remiss in my duties. Because I never have them on a leash, I wanted to wait until the coast was clear.

“Hang on, guys,” I rubbed their heads, hugging each in turn, so happy that it wasn’t one of them who was in trouble. “We’ll wait until those nosy people are gone – then out we’ll go. How about a treat in the meantime?”

My words sent them scurrying to the kitchen counter; somehow they know where the treat bag is. They sat obediently. I doled out the marrow bones as promised and they gazed up at me, their faces full of doggie grin. With a heart full of admiration and love for these marvellous, funny, affectionate companions of mine, I grinned back at them.

If I could share just a part of their devotion with you, I would. Instead, I’ll share our SMILES!!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec