The Problem with a Dog

The Problem with a Dog

Oscar, their Blue Heeler, sat beside the bed, watching his friend sleep. Philomena stirred, turned her head towards Oscar. Her hair fell over her face. Oscar whined. Philomena lifted her head. “Oscar, get up here. I’m not ready to get up yet.” He just whined, pushed his cold nose to hers, and swiped her face with his drool-y tongue. “Yuck! Oscar! Don’t do that!” She wiped her face with her wrinkled sheets. “I’m sorry, guy. I didn’t mean to yell at you. You know I hate that……..I guess you don’t even know what I’m talking about.” She rolled away from him and pulled her quilt over her head. “Maybe he’ll go away.” She hardly had the words out of her mouth when Oscar leapt on the bed and snuggled up against her back, pushing her to the other side. If he could have said anything it would be “ f she’s not getting up then I’ll just crowd her out.” Oscar was proud of his cleverness when it came to getting people out of bed. All he really wanted was a jogging partner and Philomena was the best. She’d been gone too long, her parents only took him for walks and her brother, Phil was always too tired after work. He’d been out in the back yard when she finally got home yesterday. Apparently her parents left him outside on purpose, so he wouldn’t get crazy excited when she came in the door. When they did let him in, she’d already gone to bed. He just sat at the foot of the stairs waiting for her to come down to take him for a run. His ears perked up at the slightest sound, then he’d sigh and stretch his muzzle out on his paws. He dozed off and on all night, but when he heard the birds and the cat being let out, he went upstairs, nosed her door open and sat by her bed. “Okay, okay! I’m up….sort of. You were going to let me fall on the floor, weren’t you?” She scratched his ears and gave him a big hug. “I missed you, Oscar! Should we go for a run? Or did you get too lazy while I was away?” She got dressed while she talked with him. He could hardly sit still. He knew the word ‘run’ was a good word! Tugging on her shoes, she said “I have to get something to eat first. I missed my supper last night!” Oscar whined as if he knew what she was saying. At least to him that didn’t sound good. He hadn’t heard the word ‘leash’ yet, but she was going downstairs. So maybe? Breakfast for her was cold chicken from the night before and a glass of orange juice. “Okay, boy. Where’s your leash?…….Look at you, you’ve got it already!” She clipped it onto his collar, made sure there were poop bags in the little plastic bone on his leash, picked up her water bottle and said “Let’s go!…….Oops, just wait a minute.” Poor Oscar looked worried. Had she changed her mind. “I just need to leave a note for mom and dad. She scribbled a note on the pad of paper her mother always kept on the table. “Be back in about an hour. Oscar and I are out for a run.”

~~~~~

It felt so good. The air was fresh and moist. Not a cloud in the sky. Jogging along the path through the park, they were the only two out this early. Oscar was as happy as a dog could be. While she was away, he had moped about the house. When her parents did call him for a walk, he did go but didn’t try to chase every squirrel he saw. For the first couple of days, he didn’t even eat. But after a while he was hungry. Rita, Philomena’s mom, finally tempted him with some steak. She had barbequed steak one night and noticed him sniffing the air. That was always her signal to either shoo him from the kitchen or patio, or spoil him with a piece of meat. Because he hadn’t been eating it was the latter this time. After that he did eat, not as much but at least he wasn’t skin and bones when Philomena got home. Her brother had managed to get him out for a run a couple of times on his days off, but wondered what would happen if she did leave Hartley for University. He didn’t know how long he’d be on the Island. All these thoughts were rolling around her mind as she jogged. In the brief time she’d had the night before with her parents, she had learned about Oscar’s mood while she was away, but didn’t know that Phil had been giving leaving some thought. So here was something else planted in her path. Her faithful friend, Oscar. She’d had him since he was a puppy. Five years old now, he still had a good long life left. “So, Oscar, what are we going to do?” She stopped in mid jog and got down to his level. All he did was lick her face. She didn’t seem to mind this time….until she pushed him away and told him ‘No!’ She picked up his leash again and they started their jog again. Philomena glanced at her watch. “Time to get home, buddy. We both need our breakfast and I really need to talk with mom and dad. We didn’t get much time last night. I’ve got some more thinking to do.” Oscar was just glad she was home and would do anything for her.

~~~~~

“The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth will ever be.”

~ Konrad Lorenz

Something to Help

Something to Help

Philomena, his twin sister, was to return from a cross Canada trip. Her twin, Phil was to pick her up at the airport in Hartley. They had never liked being separated as children and into their teens. Different as adults, Philomena wanted to go to University on the mainland - thus her cross Canada trip. Phil had yet to decide. “Phillie, you know exactly what you want to wear and your closet is so neat it drives me crazy. Why can’t you make a simple decision about whether to go to University or not. We both had awesome grades. But look at you! All tanned and rugged looking.” Phil gave his sister a bear hug when he saw her at the airport. “Already talking and we haven’t even got to the car yet! I’ve been working hard. Dad may be the boss doing his contractor thing, but I’ve been hanging off scaffolding on some of his buildings unless it’s been raining. And there’s not been much rain in the last couple of weeks. Weird for the Island, but I’ll take it. Tell me all about your trip.” His sister was almost asleep in her seat, but had heard every word her brother said. “Now that I’m sitting, I’m not sure I can tell you much. So sleepy. It’s.. been..a… long…..” Phil took his eyes of the road long enough to glance at his sister. “Sound asleep. I’ll just put some music on low and quiet.” The airport traffic wasn’t very heavy, and they had missed the ferry traffic to the island.

~~~~~

When Philomena woke up she didn’t know where she was. “Has the plane landed? What’s this strap across my chest…….Phillie what are you doing here?….” Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and realized where she was. “Wow! Are we almost home? I hope mom’s got something in the fridge, I’m starving. Haven’t eaten anything since Edmonton, except the cookies they give you on the plane. I feel so gross. I need a shower.” She sniffed the air around her. “Can you smell me Phillie?” Big sigh. Phil was laughing at his sister. He had hoped that the trip would cure her of her chatterbox, but on that drive home was just glad to hear her voice. “You smell just fine - like you’ve been on an airplane all day. How far did you get?” She was scrolling on her cellphone. “What? Oh, I got all the way to Winnipeg. Not exactly cross Canada, but far enough for me. I had been 100 Universities and talked to a million registrars and their secretaries. Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Every place was nice and I applied at most of them. I had all my paperwork with me. Could have done it online, but I wanted to see the places first. Good excuse for a trip too. I’ve just gotten tired of working any old job. Want to stretch my wings.” She was silent for so long, her brother thought she’d gone back to sleep. “I just want to do something that will make a difference, not just in my world but in the whole world. Maybe….No, it isn’t.” Phil glanced at her. “What isn’t?” They always knew what the other was thinking, but he decided to check. “I’ll never make a difference in the whole world, but maybe the world of one person. And no, I don’t want to be a nurse. Mom always wanted me in nursing just because she was a nurse. Nursing is a whole lot different now. Don’t tell her but I did check out a couple of nursing programs. Not for me.” Phil turned into their parents driveway. “Look at us! Two grown adults still living at home. That’s what else I want different, brother dear. I love mom and dad to bits but I really need to be away from them to figure out my own life. And that’s what you need too, Phillie.” Her brother got her bags from the trunk of his beat up car. “Dressed to the nines all the time and you’re driving this old beater!” His sister, had taken a big leather bag from the back sea and and slung it over her shoulder. “What have you got in these suitcases, Menie! They didn’t weigh that much when I took you to the plane.” His sister’s face screwed up. “Don’t call me that! It was okay when we were kids, but my name is Philomena, thank you very much. I’ll still get the door for you so you don’t stumble over my loot.” Opening the front door, she called in “Mom! Dad! I’m home and hungry. That chicken smells delicious and is that apple pie too!” Phil barely carried her luggage through the door before their parents were there. Hugging his sister, his mother was crying and his father had a permanent grin on his face. “Hey you guys, slowdown, you’d think I’d been gone to another country for ten years. I’ve only been gone three months. And I’ve talked with you every day.”

~~~~~

Her parents had so many questions to ask their daughter. Gathering around the dinner table, it was so good to have their children home - grown or not. They were disappointed though. Phil knew what would happen. Philomena filled up her plate, looking forward to a good home cooked meal. One bite of her mashed potatoes and gravy, she laid down her fork as though it was too heavy to lift. “I have to go to bed, mom. I’ll get up in a couple of hours and have something to eat. I’m just too exhausted.” She saw the concerned, but understanding, look on her mothers face. “But I can tell you that coming in on the plane this morning, I saw the mountains and the waters. I knew then that I just wanted to be home. Tomorrow when I go through my information from the Universities, I’ll decide where I want to be. Just somewhere that I can help.” She kissed her parents, ruffled her brother’s too neat hair and went to bed. “Good night, family.”

“I cannot do all the good that the world needs. 

But the world needs all the good that I can do.”

~ Jana Stanfield, Youtube musician 

(from her song All the Good) 

Where to Land

Where to Land

Rita, Phil’s mother, was worried about her son. He was almost 30 years old and didn’t seem to have any direction. At one time, she thought he would do great things. Become a big shot lawyer, like the ones he watched on TV as a boy. She wasn't that sure he was ever interested in law, just the way most of the lawyers dressed. She shook her head and muttered. “Always the fashion plate. He had to have after school jobs just to keep ‘in style’. Always had girls flutter around him. They’ve all gone to University and my boy is working construction.” Her husband Ralph came out to the garden. “Rita, are you talking to yourself or the birds?” He knew she chattered on to herself, especially out in the garden. Sometimes she was talking to the birds or the squirrels, or the calico cat that sat on their fence where tulips bloomed. “Oh heavens Ralph! You scared me. I’ve pulled out a weed instead of planting my tomatoes!” She sat up on her knees, wiped her hands clean of dirt and squinted up to her husband. A floppy straw hat shaded her eyes. Ralph helped her up. “Come to the patio. I’ve got some ice tea for us and a couple of sandwiches. You’ve been out here in the sun for two hours and need a break.” Rita gave him a peck on the cheek. “Careful, I’m all dirty and sweaty. Ice tea sounds about right  - I am hot and thirsty. Did you make the sandwiches yourself or did you stop by the Deli down the street?”  Ralph pretended to look guilty. “You caught me. Can’t fool you, can I? It was the Deli - they gave me some Kosher pickles to go along with the sandwiches. There’s a salami and Gruyere cheese, and a vegetarian one. You get to choose.” They ate their lunch in silence, enjoying the early afternoon sun. “Are you still worried about Phil, Rita? Working with his hands, outdoors, is good for him. Gives him time to think about what he wants to do. Who knows? He may want to get out of the manual labour part and take over my business. Make it a family affair. What do you think?” Rita poured herself another glass of ice tea and passed the pitcher to her husband. An innocent look on her face she said. “Well, if I recall, you were one of those rude guys that whistled at girls from two stories up on a scaffold. I didn’t think you had any direction either.”  Ralph leaned over to his wife, looking a bit of a devil. “And if I recall, you were a little bold yourself……..asking for me a date without even knowing me!” She stood and put her hat and garden gloves back on. “I don’t want him taking over the business unless he ………I just want him to be happy. And right now, he doesn’t seem to be. He just gets up, takes the lunch I have ready for him and goes to work. Gives me a quick hug before he goes. When he comes home, he barely says hello and goes upstairs to get out of his work clothes. Yes, I am still worried about him…..Thank you for lunch, honey. I need to get back to my planting now that the shade has come over the garden.”

~~~~~

Phil did come home as usual in time for supper, his mother just cleaning up from her gardening day. She did love her garden. Instead of barely speaking to his mother, he almost lifted her off her feet in a big hug. They danced across the kitchen, almost knocking Ralph over as he was setting the table. Laughing and singing, he let go of his mother and hugged his father. He suddenly realized what he was doing and stopped and said “I’ll just go upstairs, wash up and change. Be right down for dinner.” And then he was gone. “What just happened here, Ralph? I’ve never seen him like that since he graduated with honours.” Ralph had visited with Malcolm, Rita’s brother earlier in the day. “I suspect he has something to tell us at dinner. Some good news that may ease your worries.” Phil ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, crisp blue jeans and a fresh t-shirt on. “Yes mother, Uncle Malcom talked with Mr. Digby at that old Beaufort Estate. I don’t have a full time job out there, but I can work with him….Mr. Digby that is…..he’s the butler you know. Right now, it’s more like an interview and then just a couple of hours a week. I’ll have to keep my construction job, but I think there’s more for me to do than wield a nail gun.” He looked at his father. “I hope you don’t mind, dad. Construction’s ok and I like some of the people I work with, but it’s not in my blood like it is in yours.” His father just shook his hand. “Of course I don’t mind, son. You need to find out, like most of us do, where you want your feet to land.” 

“‘I want to make my mark,’ he says. 

‘But what target, I wonder, are you going to hit’”

~ Cecil Castellucci, Boy Proof

 **Pandemic status of COVID 19 declared non-emergent by World Health Organization**

Chapter 2, Episode 134 - Two Old Friends - Situationally Theirs

 Two Old Friends

Uncle Malcolm was a mentor and an old friend of Mr. Digby’s at the Beaufort Estate. He was his mother’s only brother. Phil’s father had been an only child, so Malcolm was his only uncle. He had been out to the Estate with his uncle several times when he was delivering groceries. Then he met Cook and the housekeeper, he thought her name was Martha. Although the family had been invited to the Digby’s wedding, the pandemic was still preventing too many get togethers, so he didn’t get a chance to meet anyone else. He had often thought that Mr. Digby’s job had to be pretty cushy. What Phil didn’t know was that right now it was rather boring. His uncle told him of the parties that were once held at the Estate and how Digby, as the butler, welcomed the guests, served Hor d’oeurves and champagne, and ran everything like clockwork. Now there were no big parties, the Estate was much quieter these days. Before dismissing that avenue, he decided to talk with his uncle about it. 

~~~~~ 

“Malcolm! Hello! I haven’t heard from you for a long time. How are you?” The telephone rang just as James was about to leave his office for lunch. He looked at it ringing, hesitated then at the last minute picked it up. Glad he did, he had been thinking about his old friend and thought it was time they got together. The pandemic and lock-downs had strained many friendships, but it was the solid ones that always managed to reconnect. It was often too easy to just let things pass. So James was very glad to hear Malcolm’s voice. “I’m fine James. Managed through the worst of the pandemic without being touched. Rita did get sick and was in hospital for a while, but hasn’t had that Long Covid that so many have suffered.”

James settled into his office chair. “I’m just about to go out to lunch in town. Martha is busy with Elizabeth so won’t be joining me.” He could hear his friend rustling around noisily. “Sorry, about the racket, James. I’m on kitchen duty, Cheryl’s off to a yoga class. The reason I called is about my nephew. You remember Phil, Rita’s son? Well, he wants some career advice and wants me to talk with you.” James laughed at the image of his friend on kitchen duty. “Leave the kitchen and come to lunch and we can talk. Is your nephew with you today, he should come too.” The squeal of a kitchen tap signalled that he would be coming to lunch. “No, he’s at work. Has a construction job. It’s a pretty good paycheque, but he’s not happy with it. Where should I meet you?” There was a final slam of a kitchen cupboard. “I’m going to the Bayside Bar & Grill and should be there in about 20 minutes……..Good……See you there.” Hanging up, James smiled. He was not a social man and good friends can be hard to come by. Especially when life and work keeps a person in kind of a bubble. He wasn’t sure what career advice he could give a young man, but he’d try. 

~~~~~

Men are not big talkers until they get together over a meal. Then they can chatter on like two women friends. Malcolm and James shook hands and hugged when they met at the Bayside. “It’s been too long, James. We almost let it slip by, didn’t we.” James just nodded and smiled. “Come, let’s make up for lost time.”

“Gentleman, for two?” The tall blonde waiter, hair pulled back tightly in a long ponytail, dressed in the uniform black of waiters and servers, greeted them when they entered. “Thank you, yes, just the two of us.” The two men followed her obediently to a booth by a window looking out on a float home village on the water. “Your waiter will be Andrea. She’ll be with you in just a moment.”

~~~~~

Malcolm and James talked and talked. Andrea, their waiter, had brought them water, place settings, menus and after several false tries finally took their orders. Lunch had almost been forgotten in the time it took for them to catch up on their lives. Poor nephew Phil would have felt injured that his name had not even been mentioned! An empty plate and second cup of coffee later, Malcolm remembered the reason for contacting James. “I guess I’d better ask you about your career for Phil. I’m not sure he knows what your job entails. All he knows of it is what I have told him in the past when Mr. Michael was still alive. What’s it like now, James? How did you manage to get through the pandemic?” James ate his last bite of chocolate cake. Brushing crumbs from his mouth with his napkin, he thought carefully. “Well, it’s not the interesting job that I did have. I might as well be an accountant now. I’m surprised Mrs. Crawford keeps all of us on out there. She still seems to think we can make something of the old place. I did tell you that she’s not Mrs. Beaufort anymore? You remember Dr. Jeremy Crawford, Mr. Michael’s best friend? His wife died about the same time Mr. Michael did. Miss Emelina and Dr. Jeremy got together and married.” And they were off again, leaving Malcolm’s nephew in the breach. “No, I hadn’t heard that. Good for her. She was getting a little off her rocker after he died wasn’t she? How did she manage in the pandemic? You said her sister stayed with her?” James leaned back and laughed. “I’ve really left out some of the changes that have gone on in the past two years.” He looked at his watch, pulled out his wallet and signalled to the waiter. “Malcolm it’s past 2:30! Martha will be wondering what’s happened to me.” Just then his phone beeped. “Yes, there she is.” Putting his glasses on, he picked up his phone and answered the call. “You’ll never believe it, Martha. Malcolm and I have been at lunch for over two hours.”……….   “He’s coming out to Estate with me”……..  “We’re just leaving now. See you shortly. Are you home or in the kitchen with Elizabeth?:……..  Closing his phone, he said “Elizabeth has fresh baking, Malcolm - it’s better than ever.” While James was talking to Martha, Malcolm texted his wife to let her know that he was going out to the Estate. She texted back that after yoga she had been to lunch with her yoga class and was now going shopping. “See you when you get back. Say hello to Martha and Elizabeth. Tell them I’ll be out to see them soon.” She always signed off with a hugging emoji. 

~~~~~

“They talked in the shorthand of old friends and shared memories.”

~ Dee Henderson, Before I Wake

What to Do

What to Do

Phil was full of himself. At least that’s what his sister told him. This particular morning, standing in front of his mirror, face half shaved, he wondered if she wasn’t correct. He looked at his razor. It was special. It had to be a certain brand, for a certain facial type and his shaving cream purchased at a beauty parlour where he had his hair cut every two weeks. Since a teenager, he didn’t see anything wrong with that. As far as he was concerned his sister didn’t pay enough attention to herself. His clothes were always spotless, much to the chagrin of his mother. He was finally told to wash all his clothes himself. “You want me to look presentable don’t you mother?”  “My dear, you always look like you’re about to go to some high level meeting or out on a date with that lovely girl from school.” After high school, it didn’t change. Except that he had to get a job. All he could get was a construction job while he started online University. He could barely tolerate his co-workers wearing the same unkempt clothes everyday. He did learn that he loved the outside work. The very thought of wearing a suit and tie everyday went against his new found preference. Being cooped up in a office, no matter how great the pay or prestige was, just did not sit well with him. Phil was stuck. He was not going to be a landscaper who got dirt under his fingernails. He wasn’t that interested in plants, or grass or crops of any kind. His university classes had all been directed at Law. It was interesting, but just hadn’t gripped him the way he thought it would. Journalism? He would have to work a lot of menial reporting jobs - society functions, dog shows, fairs. All very boring. There was no assurance that he’d land a plum anchor job at a TV station. Interviewing high level politicians didn’t happen if you hadn’t done the work to get there.  He finished shaving, making sure to clean his face of every bit of shaving cream. He changed his blade, put everything away in his shaving case, wiped up the bathroom, leaving it as pristine as it had been. 

The door bell rang. He heard his mother answer the door, greet whomever was there, close the door. Then “Phillip! There’s mail for you. A small package from your sister.” He sighed. “Put it on the hall table. I’ll open it after breakfast.” Under his breath he muttered. “I wondered what oddball thing she’s sent me this time.” The time before it had been a brilliant fuschia scarf. He had folded it up and stuck in the the back of a bottom drawer. As he closed the drawer, he could hear her cheerful voice all the way across the country. “Lighten up Phillie!” A fuschia scarf wouldn’t help him decide what to do with his life. He’d send her a thank you email anyway. Dressed in clean, pressed khaki pants and shirt, he went down to breakfast. He needed to have a good paycheque to get where he wanted to go, wherever that was. However, his father had always told him “A paycheque isn’t worth much if you don’t enjoy your job, Phil.”

“It’s not about earning a paycheck, it’s about doing 

something good that you believe in.”

~ Adam Kinzinger

 

Purpose ~ PURPOSE - Theme for May 2023

 

**a writing exercise

Phil was full…….

Uncle Malcolm was his…..

Rita, Phil’s mother……..

Philomena, his twin sister…

Oscar, their Blue Heeler……

Sarah-Ann had never…….

Eventually……..

“To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides 

of the mountain that sustain life, not the top.”

~ Robert M. Pirsig,

(author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance:

An Inquiry into Values)

More Sweetness!

*Dessart Sweets Ice Cream & Candy Store

3036 13th Ave, Regina, SK

Side by side, working on writing projects in a quaint little bookstore - The Penny University Bookstore on 13th Ave. My partner finishing up a short story, I’m working on a long term writing project. Two hours in silence broken by discussing writing strategies, problems, the music of the bookstore and patrons coming and going. 

We parted ways, my compatriot drove away to eat pie, while I…….well I had to walk through a line of couples and young families at the ice cream store. Not wanting to appear rude, I joined the line.

Salted caramel and fudge ice cream chosen with care. An outside table vacated, I’m sure just for me, was perfect to sit in the sun and not let a drop of ice cream escape. Ice cream - I really needed that deliciousness.

“Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream.”

~ Charles Baxter, The Feast of Love