This afternoon I went for a walk about a mile away, near the village. Next to the school and church there are fields and then a hill behind. I came across a small golden Labrador who seemed to be hanging out in the field, barking as if he was scared of passers-by and lurking about -looking very much like a lost dog. Yet he seemed well-fed and wore a dog-tag on his collar.
He wouldn't let me near him, and scooted off whenever I tried to gently talk to him and corral him so I could put a piece of baling twine onto his collar. I wanted to find out the telephone number on the tag, was going to take him home with me, locate his caretakers, and drive him home when they answered their phone. But I could not get anywhere near him.
Although school was out by this time, I asked a teacher who was playing football with some children in the school yard. Did he know whose dog it was?
"Oh not him again!" The man answered, "He does this regularly! He knows when the children come out of school, and escapes from his garden to come and meet one of them. But what he can't understand is that student has now moved on into secondary school in another town! He waits for them for ages, then either he goes home again very sadly, or his people come to get him. No matter how many fences they put up, he gets out."
"So when his beloved person eventually comes home from school, he must be very happy, and wonder what happened," I said.
"Yes," the man replied, "The child has been at the other school since last September. But as often as he can get out, he turns up to meet them. He's stupid!"
I didn't answer, but thought -that's not really stupid. Of course the dog doesn't understand about the other school. All he knows is he loves that child, and will hang around as long as it takes to meet them. He will go through any barriers, will wait without question, and what is more -remembers all those details from months ago. And no matter what, he will not give up.
The man said he would call the caretakers and tell them 'it's happened again'. And all would be well. They would come to collect the dog as usual.
As I turned to leave, I said to the dog, "Okay then, I'm off. You're all right by the sound of it, and not lost, so I'm going home."
The dog barked a warning at me, "Don't you even think of trying to get near me because I am on a mission and am not going to let you waylay me!"
I laughed and replied "You are a good dog and I know how much your kind loves us, and there is no limit to your loyalty and ability to remember."
Then I went home.
He wouldn't let me near him, and scooted off whenever I tried to gently talk to him and corral him so I could put a piece of baling twine onto his collar. I wanted to find out the telephone number on the tag, was going to take him home with me, locate his caretakers, and drive him home when they answered their phone. But I could not get anywhere near him.
Although school was out by this time, I asked a teacher who was playing football with some children in the school yard. Did he know whose dog it was?
"Oh not him again!" The man answered, "He does this regularly! He knows when the children come out of school, and escapes from his garden to come and meet one of them. But what he can't understand is that student has now moved on into secondary school in another town! He waits for them for ages, then either he goes home again very sadly, or his people come to get him. No matter how many fences they put up, he gets out."
"So when his beloved person eventually comes home from school, he must be very happy, and wonder what happened," I said.
"Yes," the man replied, "The child has been at the other school since last September. But as often as he can get out, he turns up to meet them. He's stupid!"
I didn't answer, but thought -that's not really stupid. Of course the dog doesn't understand about the other school. All he knows is he loves that child, and will hang around as long as it takes to meet them. He will go through any barriers, will wait without question, and what is more -remembers all those details from months ago. And no matter what, he will not give up.
The man said he would call the caretakers and tell them 'it's happened again'. And all would be well. They would come to collect the dog as usual.
As I turned to leave, I said to the dog, "Okay then, I'm off. You're all right by the sound of it, and not lost, so I'm going home."
The dog barked a warning at me, "Don't you even think of trying to get near me because I am on a mission and am not going to let you waylay me!"
I laughed and replied "You are a good dog and I know how much your kind loves us, and there is no limit to your loyalty and ability to remember."
Then I went home.
