The Waxwell Road Mob (Part 2 & Last)
By Len Morgan
June's
mobile phone lit up, 'Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the…'
“Hello? Hi
Karen. Yes… Yes… Yes… Of course.
Steve can bring him over any time.” June covered
the mouthpiece, “Karen’s been taken into hospital, the baby is coming, Steve’s
bringing Connor down, he should be here in about half an hour.”
“Don’t worry about him Karen, he’ll be fine with us.
He can keep Dad amused, and give Bugs some intelligent conversation, and
somebody to take him w-a-l-k-i-e-s. Take care love; see you in a
few days. Bye."
"Did you hear that Len?"
“Every
word, hope the dogs have short memories."
Sue growled
deep in her throat.
Muffin
gave a shrill sharp howl.
Mia
maintained an inscrutable look because she’d never met Connor.
Bugs yawned deeply, the kid’s alright, Bugs
thought.
Twenty
minutes later a horn sounded and they heard footsteps running up the
drive. Len went down on his haunches to welcome his beaming
ten-year-old grandson with a bear hug. “Hello mate, you’re looking
well. Let’s get your case into the spare room.”
“Where’s Nan?”
“Where do
you think? In the kitchen, I hope you’re hungry.”
Connor ran
into the kitchen and hugged June. Muffin was close behind him
growling, as she nipped at his heel.
“Ouch!
That hurt.”
“Muffin!” Len scooped her up and placed her outside the back
door. “You can stay there until you calm down.”
“I don’t
like her!” Connor said, close to tears.
“Show me your heel,” said June. “Ahha! No skin is broken, that was just her way of showing you whose boss.
“Here,” said
Len offering a tube of cream.
“What is
it?”
“It’s a
special Anti-Muffin-Nip cream; it’ll cure you in no time.”
June smiled
and rubbed some onto the faintly reddened heel. “There how does that feel?”
“Much better
thanks, Nan, why doesn’t she like me?”
“She thinks
anybody new is an intruder.”
“But, I’m
not,” he protested hugging her.
“I know, but it’s her job to check out visitors and decide if they
can join our pack. It’s a sort of initiation.”
“Like when I
went to my new school, they wouldn’t talk to me until I shot a few baskets, in
the playground and Colin Lang said I was okay and I could join his team.”
“They let
you have guns at school? Len, I’m not sure I’m happy about that.
It’s becoming more like the USA here, every day.”
“He’s
talking basketball love; 'the shooter' is the equivalent of the ‘Goal Shooter’
in netball.”
“Ah! Would you believe it, basketball; as I said, more
like America every
day. Muffin will soon come round, and accept you as part of the
family,” said June.
“Where’s my
friend Bugs? He likes me,” said Connor.
“He’s in
here, stretched out on the sofa,” Len said glancing at the front page of his
gardening magazine.
“Thanks, Granddad.” He went in search of the
oldest of the four Chihuahua’s,
whilst June opened the back door and let Muffin back in.
“Hello Bugs,
can I sit here?” He flopped on the cushion beside Bugs and began to
stroke him.
Muffin burst
into the room “Row, rowrowrowrowrow!”
“Errrr!” said Bugs, So Muffin hopped onto June’s recliner
chair. She curled up like a cat and sat, quiet as a mouse, watching.
“Granddad?”
“Yes mate.”
“Can I take
Bugs out for a walk?”
“I’m not
sure about that, he’s getting old, he’s fourteen in our years.”
“How much is
that in dog years?”
“Well, one
of ours is seven dog years,” said June, “so that’s…”
“Ninety-eight,”
said Connor.
“My word,
your good at mental arithmetic,” said Len.
Connor heard a tinkling sound and looked down. Bugs
sat at his feet with a blue leather lead in his mouth and his tail
wagging. “I think Bugs wants to come,” said Connor.
“June, come
and see this.”
“Well, I’ve
never seen him do that before,” said June.
“Take it off
him quickly, before the others see, or they’ll all want to go w-a-l-k-i-e-s,”
Len spelt the word out.
“Walkies?”
said Connor.
Muffin
buried herself under cushions, while Mia and Sue jumped up and down excitedly.
“Now you’ve
done it,” said June.
“I’ll take you two when I get back,” Connor promised.
They followed Connor and Bugs to the front door, watched them walk down the
garden path, and out through the front gate.
.-...-.
"I think we could walk as far as Watery Lane, and then we can sit on the
bench and rest awhile before coming back.” Bugs looked up at him
and seemed to nod in agreement.
An older boy
ran by with a bull terrier on a thick rope and choke chain.
“Pussy,” he yelled at them.
Connor ignored him. They walked off slowly, side by side
until they reached the bench and Connor sat down.
'Get me up,
this pavement is cold'. The words just seemed to form
in Connor’s mind.
“Did you
speak?” He looked around for somebody who might be playing a trick on
him. The lane was deserted.
'Just get me up please?'
He took off his jacket and folded it for bugs to sit
on. They sat there a while in silence, Connor stroking Bugs,
looking around to be sure nobody was watching.
“Was that
really you in my head Bugs, or am I going bonkers?” he whispered.
'You're Okay
kid, you can hear me but nobody else can.'
“Why me?” He sighed, “Haven’t I got enough
problems? I’m about to become a big brother.”
'How the hell should I know, I don’t make the
rules. I’m fourteen and I've had a good life, you’re a kid just
like Mia, but you’re ten just four years younger than me. If you
were a dog you’d be…'
“Seventy, yes I know.”
'I was about
to say Geriatric. Life ain't fair.'
“You got that right Bugs.”
'What have you got to worry about? Okay, so
you’re a ‘Gofer’ well that’s an honourable profession, somebody has to do it,
and since humans have hands, it’s something you’re well equipped
for. So you do all the fetching and carrying for us
dogs. That’s not so bad, is it? You can go out whenever
you like and have money you can spend. You even get to spend some
on yourselves occasionally. All in all I’d say you got it cushy.'
“Yea? What about bullies beating up on me and calling
me rotten names in front of everybody and the threats...”
'Don’t worry about Muffin, she’ll come around.
You’re a decent kid, what’s not to like?'
“I’m talking
about school. You heard that big guy with the bulldog..."
'Bull Terrier.'
“Whatever.
Nobody likes me, the teachers are always getting at me, and Uncle Kelvin says
they’re only doing it for my own good. Granddad says I’ve got to
give as good as I get…"
'I’d say as bad as ye get.'
“It gets so
bad sometimes I wish I was dead!”
'You wanna
change places?'
“Can we?”
'Nah! It’s just wishful thinking
kid. Maybe you could get into training and learn to run real
fast. Then, you just hit that sucker as hard as you can and run
like hell!'
Connor smiled briefly. “I wish I was an adult, then
everything would be simple.”
'Sorry to mess with your dreams kid, but the big guy got
laid off a month ago, he just mopes around the house, searching the internet,
writing endless letters. All the funs gone out of him, why today’s
the best I’ve seen him in a long time. It doesn’t get easier with age,
take it from me.'
“What am I
gonna do Bugs?”
'I guess you just gotta say enough’s enough - I ain’t gonna
take no more! But, what do I know about it, I’m just a
mutt.'
“Your right Bugs, I’m feeling sorry for myself and you obviously
have troubles of your own. Do you want to tell me?”
'Wouldn’t want to bore you with my trivial
afflictions. Renal deterioration, possible kidney failure, I’m on
tablets for it but— Heh! Veterinary bills, cost an arm and
a leg, Have you seen the strength of the big guy's
eyeglasses? He cuts tiny little tablets into four to get the dose
right, then he wraps them in strong cheddar cheese to disguise them so I’ll eat
them. Ain’t that somethin?'
“O-oh!
Here comes the bulldog again.”
'Bull
terrier.'
“Who’s talking about the dog?”
“Hey woose,
where did you find that scrawny little rat.”
“This scrawny rat is a man-eating Chihuahua! He’d have your runt
for breakfast, but he doesn’t eat anything that small.”
“Why
you— Get him, Spike!" He released the choke chain and
Spike growled and charged towards them.
Bugs roared 'Rabies!' And went for
Spike, biting his right leg. Spike howled in pain and ran off down
the street, with his tail between his legs, yelping.
“Now it’s
your turn Ugly-puss,” Connor yelled.
Ugly-puss’s
face distorted into a snarl but as Bugs turned towards him he looked less
certain. He lashed out with his foot kicking Bugs high into the
air. Bugs landed with a thud and lay still.
“You
asshole!” Connor screamed and ran in like a dervish, fists
flying. He landed one two three punches and Ugly-puss turned and
ran.
“You and that dog are mad! I’m gonna tell my dad.”
Connor
turned towards Bugs, tears in his eyes, and tried to lift him.
'Don’t! Get the big guy; he’ll know what to do.'
.-…-.
The young Vet looked grave. He placed his stethoscope
to Bugs’s chest for the third time and shook his head. “Considering
his age, medical history and his current condition, I doubt we can restore him
to anything like the quality of life he deserves.”
“You think it best we have him put to sleep?” June
asked. Len stood stoically, to one side, tears pooling in his
eyes.
“Don’t let him die, Granddad, it was my fault…”
'Don’t be so melodramatic kid! You didn’t make
me do nothing; did you see that Bull terrier run though? It was
worth two months of my life just for that moment. And, look at
you! Taking on a tough guy a foot taller and older than yourself –
he was nearly a man – he ran an he ran heh heh! It’s my time
kid, It’s only at the end we are given the gift of mind speech and even then
it’s only special dogs that get it. Say goodbye to me like a man, and
don’t forget what you learned today.
“I’ll give you a few moments to consider which action is in his
best interest, but he is in a lot of pain. If he were human he
wouldn’t get the humane choice, he would be made as comfortable as possible and
be forced to linger.”
“No need to prolong his suffering, If the right thing is to let
go,” said Len.
“Would you like to hold him for me?”
“I’ll do it said Connor,” he felt the adults hands on his
shoulders, and as he cupped Bugs’s head in his own hands Connor felt the love
flow in both directions.
“Goodbye Bugs.”
Bye
kid. Don’t take no shit!
Copyright
Len Morgan
I can’t social distance my
clients would complain.
