A Boy and His Dog
“It’s pretty quiet out here most of the time. Oh, at night I hear a coyote from time to time or the chittering of that pack of raccoons livin’ back of the orchard. When a heavy fog settles in, the fog horns are so lonesome soundin’……reachin’ out for a friend.” Samuel, grizzled, tall and lean, was glad to be in the warm of Elizabeth’s kitchen. Brewster, practically glued to his side, wagged her bushy black tail, never taking her eyes from him. Samuel had an audience. Miss Emelina, Miss Dez and Elizabeth. Even Digby and Martha were there. The dark came early because of the cloud, rain glistening on everything. Samuel was just settling in to his story telling mode, his coffee getting cold. “But the sound I heard a few weeks ago took me back a lot of years.” He sat at the end of the long kitchen table, one work worn hand rested on Brewster’s black head. He looked down at her. “You’re a good girl, but no treats for you.”
“Here’s the cinnamon buns - they’ve cooled enough for everyone to eat now. Probably spoil your suppers.” Cook brought the plate to the table, with napkins, butter and jam. “Get on with it, Samuel.” Cook, her hair greying and pulled loosely back in a bun, smiled at her friend. “What was it you heard so long ago, Samuel? Some of us have to get home tonight.” He helped her get settled, poured her some tea. “Just hold on. I’m gettin’ to it.” He sat down and leaned on his elbows. “I was only about ten. Always after my dad for a dog, like my school chums had. Not enough money for feedin’ me let alone a dog. I didn’t believe that ‘cause he worked here takin’ care of the gardens and yard. We always had enough food. Cook, not near as good as you Elizabeth, kept us fat and happy. Anyway, one night when I was goin’ to bed, I hear this whine. Not real loud at first. Then it would go quiet. Just when I was about to drop off, there was a couple of yips, and another little whine. Then it went quiet. I fell asleep.” He pulled apart a cinnamon bun, tossed a little piece of bread to Brewster and had a bit for himself.
“So did you figure it out in the morning?” Dez had called Brewster over to her, petting her and scratching behind her ears. “Sure did, but I didn’t want to tell mom or dad. Decided if it really was a dog, I’d try to keep it hidden and they’d never know. I feed it with some of my food. Didn’t know what I’d do if I got real hungry.” He shook his head and chuckled at the memory.
Emelina chimed in. “What ever happened, Samuel and what does that have to do with this dog?” She’d never considered herself a ‘dog person’ or any other kind of pet, but she loved Samuel’s stories. “Well, Miss Em. I had that dog for three weeks before anyone noticed. Never brought him in the house, just kept him behind that big rock at the back of the orchard. I built a little lean-to for a dog house. Wasn’t much. Didn’t even use nails. Just leaned some old boards against the rock, put an old blanket in that mother was goin’ to throw out. And that’s why I called this girl, Brewster. Same as the dog that I found.” At the mention of her name, Brewster left Dez without a backwards glance and went to her friend. “And that’s how you got a young fella’s name, young lady.”
“You never told me that story before, Samuel.” James had been standing back again the cupboard. After sitting most of the day at his desk, he alway liked the opportunity to stretch his long legs. “How is it that this Brewster made an appearance?” Digby and Samuel had an easy friendship after working for Miss Em for many years. “You haven’t built another doghouse have you?” His laugh was low and kind. “Nope, James. Brewster comes in the house with me. She was a mess when I found her. She had crawled under the front porch a few weeks ago. I could hear her, just like the other Brewster, then she’d go quiet. She wouldn’t let me near her, scootin’ back as far as she could, when she heard me comin’. Now, she’s underfoot most of the time.” He leaned down to her and tousled her hair. Sitting up again, he continued. “I went into the feed store and got dog food, and a couple of dishes. Every morning when I left, I’d set out fresh food and fresh water. Same thing every evening after supper. She ate it all up, drank up all the water. She’d come out a little at a time, til she’d come up on the porch. Meanwhile, I was lookin’ at every place for posters about missin’ dogs, checked with the SPCA in town and put in calls to the radio. After two weeks, not hearin’ a peep from any of them, I let her come in the house. Sleeps by my bed. But I had to get her to the vet, make sure she was healthy and see if they had heard of a missin’ dog. Gettin’ in the truck wasn’t a worry for her at all. The day we went to town, I just opened the side door and she jumped right in like she’d done it a hundred times.”
Martha had been uncharacteristically quiet through it all. She wasn’t sure she approved of having a dog in the kitchen. She was the Estate Housekeeper. It had been a charming story, but all she could see was dog hair everywhere, muddy paw prints on the clean floors. “Well, Samuel, the vet gave her a clean bill of health? No ticks, no fleas. How did you get her cleaned up? You did say she was quite a mess.” Samuel stifled a laugh. “Don’t you worry, Martha. You won’t be seein’ her in the kitchen very often. But when she is, Elizabeth has towels in the mudroom for her. If she sees so much as a muddy toe print on her floors, she’ll send the both of us packin’. I’ll be eatin’ my own cooking.”
“Is there an end to this story, Samuel?” Elizabeth stood and started to clear away the empty plates and cups. “Well, the vet said she was healthy, told me I’d taken care of her really well. I’d taken her to the car wash in town and got her all cleaned up before I ever let her in my house. Then he gave me the ‘good news - bad news’ story. She does have owners. They had been holidaying out here when this virus thing started. All the way from Newfoundland. Left their phone number with the vet. She’d run away from where they were staying, just on the other side of Hatley. They had to leave without her, but hoped they would get her back somehow. Their little boy didn’t understand what had happened. Just a little fella I guess. Doc Nesbitt was going to call them and will let me know what he finds out.” The whole room grew quiet. Samuel had grown serious. If you looked closely, his blue eyes glittered a little more that usual. Martha quietly said “You bring her in here whenever you want, Samuel.” Dez stood stiffly “I’ll be getting out to walk in couple of days. She can come with me.” Everyone else was quiet. Emelina finally stood and said “Dez, are you ready to go upstairs? We’ll have to walk around on the porch and go in the front door. These stairs are too much for you right now.” Dez nodded and leaning on her sister’s arm they said good night.
“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”
~ Roger Caras (photographer and writer)
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