Puppy Love


               Many  years ago  now,  when  I was  living  up in  Auckland,
          working as a Receptionist for Guide dog Services, and living with
          my sister and  her family, something strange,  but funny happened
          to my guide dog Fern,  and I. I was almost ready to  leave in the
          morning, for the Buss Stop to get the bus I needed to  get to get
          into Work.  I put Fern outside, to do her business, before we set
          off.  Because my Sister's yard was not fenced, I  put Fern on her
          Flexy Lead,  and tied  it to a  sturdy, wooden  veranda post,  as
          normal.   I  went inside, to  leave her  in peace for  5 minutes.
          When I  returned, I untied the flexy lead,  and wound it in, only
          to find most of it missing, and Fern  gone!  I screamed out at my
          Sister that Fern was gone. she came out  quickly, and pointed out
          to  me, that her dog,  Sam was gone too, and  that the flexy lead
          had  obviously been bitten through.  Fern and Sam had always been
          very close  to one  another, and  enjoyed  playing together,  and
          trying to get into mischief  together.  Thoughts raced through my
          mind as I thought of  how Fern could be out there,  and could get
          hit by a car or anything.  My Sister looked up and down the road,
          but  couldn't see Fern  and Sam anywhere.   She couldn't  go much
          further than that, as she had a young baby at  the time, that she
          needed to look after.  A  length of time went by, and I  all of a
          sudden remembered that I should of been on the bus at  that time.
          I then, had to call Guide dog Services, and by a stroke  of luck,
          got  the Guide  dog Manager.   I can't  come to work,  because my
          Guide dog has run away,  I yelled at him  through the phone.   He
          didn't say much  to that.  At  long last though, Fern  came home,
          with Sam  trailing behind.   I was so happy  to see her  I didn't
          even tell her off.  Later that night, my Sisters Husband  said he
          had  seen them both as he  was sitting on the  bus.  He said that
          Sam, who is a huge rotty,  was just bowling across the road,  not
          even worrying  about the traffic, but Fern was going to the curb,
          looking  both ways,  and waiting  until it  was clear,  until she
          crossed.   We laughed for  ages about it,  and I still  think how
          lucky I am to still have her with me today.

          Kirstan Mooney