Rastus (Chapter 1)

I’ve always loved Rastus. That wasn’t his real name or my dog but I met him a few years back. He belonged to a neighbour of mine. Rastus didn’t know this, he thought he owned her. She wanted a dog so went to the dog pound to choose one finding Rastus there. When introduced they soon were friends. No too active as he’d been deprived of his private parts. Probably she was told the usual sob story of a placid dog wanting a companion. So he went home with her with his dog tag jingling on his collar. They don’t jingle these days as they are made plastic but she in her wisdom was entranced by this tinkling sound and called him Tinkerbell.

He settled in, soon making carnage of the back garden but she didn’t seem to mind. This is where I came in and before long I was spending few hours a week tidying the place up and acquainting myself with Tinkerbell. He was out of control so I suggested I take him for a walk after my gardening.. It took time for him to understand that I took him and not vice-versa. However by the time I returned him home he was walking by my side with an occasional glance up at me to knowig I was in charge.

Back home we were given a drink, me tea and Tinkerbell water. As I was sitting down in the Lounge Room chatting with my neighbour that I  noticed marks on furniture and cushions. I pointed out damage his teeth but she had not noticed them. Clearly her eyesight was fading. “Oh, Tinkerbell, you naughty boy,” she said.

I suggested he be given just one room in the house to stay in, preferably the kitchen or laundry when she was out and she agreed. He took no part in the conversation and decided he wanted to go into the garden so I got up and let him out and straight away he deposited a load in the rose bushes, reversed and then covered it with dirt.

He then looked up and grinned at me.

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