My tee shot was a grounder, off the 12th tee. It goes over by Bayshore's maintenance shack so I ask a workman at the shack if he saw a ball come thisaway.. He says, no, but do you want a dog. I didn't say anything about a dog. The next thing I know he shows me 2 puppies that can walk and were at that stage when puppies are their adorablist. They were mostly Labrador Retrievers, he said, . . . . . ...
When I was about 6 or 7 we got a mostly chow dog, Mitzi. My mother and dad liked that dog. My brother and sister liked and had fun with the dog. But Mitzi and I, it was love at first sight. It was one of those special happenings. After Mitzi was with us for about 2 years my aunt Ella rented a half of a house for the summer in Atlantic City. She invited us to stay for a couple of weeks. But, no dog. I tried everything, I even said I didn't want to go. When we came back from the shore Mitzi had a huge flea problem and the house had so many fleas I could describe a flea in full detail.. Mom and dad did try everything within reason to rid the house of the fleas. Finally one day my father came home and announced that Mitzi was now living with a friend of his who had a farm in New Jersey.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It happened while Rae was on her way home from elementary school, a dog attacked and bit her. She had to be treated by a doctor and take some shots. After that she would go out of her way to keep a distance the size of a 'football field' between her and any dog. Once we went into a store where a nicely dressed woman was carrying a little Mexican dog that looked like a not too large mouse with big ears. It was shivering and shying away from anyone big or small. But, as soon as this shaking shrimp saw Rae he started barking as if he thought he was Leo the Lion.. Rae ran out of the store and would not come back in until the women left.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .One of the dogs had a short tail. About an inch an a half. The worker said he had dropped a tool box on it and had to remove the rest of her tail.. Her name was Samantha and if he didn't find a home for the dogs he would have to take them both to the dog pound. So, I put Samantha in the cart and she became our 5th while we finished the round. It was as if someone had told her exactly what to do to charm the foursome, except of course, for Ben. Unless you were a pigeon like me, if you even coughed while Ben was walking toward his ball, he would swear never to play with you again. Once when, Ben and I were riding together, and I thought the cart was in his line of sight, I put the gear in reverse, intending to back away. The cart makes a beep when you put it into reverse. When Ben heard the cart's reverse sound he stormed over, took his bag off of the cart, put it on his shoulder and walked back to the clubhouse. Naturally I was up a coupla holes at the time.
Rae never yelled. When I came into the house with the dog, her voice reached a volume I had never heard. I promised I would take Samantha back to the course and I could hear Rae lock the door after she pushed me out.. I did not go to the golf course. I waited until it was a little dark and then I left Samantha in the car while I went back into the house. I lied. I said I had returned to the course but it was too late and I couldn't find anyone who would take the dog. And now it was so late, we just couldn't put her outside at nite. And with the kids, who were home, and for once on my side, Rae weakened, just a tad.. She said,
"You put that dog in the bathroom and after we have dinner I'm going into the bedroom and I'm not coming out while that animal is in the house."
Again it was if someone was talking to Sam and telling her exactly what to do. Even if you didn't like dogs, watch her for just a few minutes, and you knew why other people did. Somehow an agreement between Rae and the kids was worked out. Samantha had to stay in one of the kids' rooms at all times and they would take complete care of her.
Samantha and I would go for walks around the block. There were only a few other dogs in the neighborhood but there were many kids, and most of them were afraid of dogs. We were getting new New York transplants all the time. They all had a few kids and every one of the kids was afraid of dogs. In the beginning, during our walk, Samantha would follow behind me. When I saw a kid, I would say,
"Please, please don't scare my dog. She's very afraid of kids. Please don't scare her." And then she would come into view. giving them a wide birth. It wasn't long before Sam was walking ahead of me and would run up to the kids who now were actually waiting to play with her. They would pull her tail, pull her ears and even try to ride on her. And Samantha just loved the kids. And when she saw a new kid she would lag behind, until I prepared the way. I think Samantha and I knew the best thing about kids. They are not adults.
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| Go sniff somewhere else. |
And whenever another dog came up, she knew exactly how to handle them. If they persisted in sniffing and getting fresh, she would simply sit down. Unbelievable to see.
A new dog came on the block, a German Shepard, 4 or 5 months old already bigger than Samantha. Right away they nuzzled each other and then they would go side by side and this continued until we reached our house. When I opened the door Samantha went in and the other guy went around me and just followed her into the kitchen, where he ate her entire dinner. With Sam watching. Good thing Rae wasn't home and, the new guy lived around the corner and on the other side of the block.
Another trait Sam had, she never crossed the street. Except this one time when a cat came from out of nowhere on our side and crossed to the other side. Sam followed and then went slowly up to the cat who promptly smacked her right in the face. Sam didn't make a sound, she jumped at impact landing a few feet away, turned and looked at that cat with a look that I can only describe as complete amazement. I never saw her cross a street after that. She would come to the end of a pavement, where the street began, we don't have curbs, and sit down and wait for me to pick her up and carry her to the other side. I always was very confident in her and even in a strange area she would always do the same thing, whether the street had curbs or not. She would go up to the street, sit down, and wait for me.
At the entrance to our house is the living room, a rectangular area leading to the Florida room. The right side of the living room wall hides 2 rooms, a den and a dining room.
Making a right turn at the front door leads to a door entrance to a windowed den and if you continue there is a door to the master bedroom and bath. If you do not open the bedroom door but turn left thru another door, which we leave open, you're in the dining room which ends just short of the Florida room. If you make a right turn at the end of the dining room, you go into the kitchen area. The entire area, living room, den and dining room has marble floors. Both sliding doors, to the den and dining room remain open, so you can walk an unbroken loop around and around.
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| No 'football field' here. |
Samantha and I would play a game that I called 'Wild Animule.' I would continuously shout 'wild animule, wild animule' ' and start running around the loop,living room, den, dining room or vice-versa. When I had a big lead I would stop and go left (or right) after going thru one of the doors and Samantha barking and barking, her legs slip sliding on the floor, when suddenly, I was behind her and now going in the opposite direction. She never got tired before I did. And then she would jump up on me and I would fall to the floor and we would play soft wrestle. What a terrific memory.
Rae became so attached to Samantha we would never go on a trip without taking Sam or making arrangements for her care at home. Her uncle Dave would come and baby sit Sam and the house.. Samantha was with us for 17 of those HEA years .
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