It was a gloomy Monday morning, grey sky, drizzle, when I wrote this anecdote.
- Lost love. Divorced.
- Lost friends. Disagreements.
- Lost in business. Foolish ventures.
- Lost in the arts. Attitude.
- Lost prime years. In a month I shall be 64.
- Lost motivation.
I could've gone into more details, but surely you get the picture. Of course, there are others who have experienced worse situations than I have, and are more impecunious than me. So stop whining, I thought was the high road.
Some say if you have your health you have everything. So far, I am holding my own, regardless, of prostate cancer in the early stages and tinnitus of the ears, a constant buzz.
Perhaps, one or two wonder why I haven't given up and packed it in. Because... I remain optimistic even when drying my tears.
There are some positive reasons to go onward — my adopted middle name — hence, Edmund Onward James.
- Reading
- Writing
- Music
- Talk Radio
- Internet
- A few more things...
- Such as SUNSHINE.
Sunshine, nicknamed SUNNY, is a twelve week old puppy; part Collie; part German Shepherd.
The day I had received him, I felt as if sun rays of enlightenment and cheerfulness had dawned on me; thus Sunny. He made me smile and think about something else, such as taking care of the frightened and lonely pup that had been removed from his mother and father and sisters, rather than feeling melancholy about my history and unpublished novels.
Good timing to receive the gift from a friendly neighbour, since LUCKY MADURO, part Border Collie, part Hound, part who knows what, is aging. He's almost totally deaf, and the usual at twelve. In our years. The old dog would train the new arrival, hopefully, I thought. And he has.
Maduro cigars are usually wrapped with a black or dark leaf, and since I enjoy stogies the black and white dog had been named Lucky Maduro, Lucky Black.
People on my family's compound, actually a family business with 110 acres of land, love Lucky and now adore Sunny. They look so cute together. But the pup jumps all over the old dug who growls don't bother me right now. When Lucky is in the mood he's somewhat playful. At least he shares his food and treats. Has no choice the scamp is much faster. I make sure they both get their share.
My mother and father had been fortunate with Collie-Shepherds. Loyal and smart mix. They were outdoor dogs. Indoors, only when it had been cold and winter nights. The dogs had lasted many years and had seemed to be healthier than city apartment dogs or houses with small backyards. My opinion.
Fergie was shaggy. He had walked with my father everywhere, to watch over him. To make sure, after the old man had a few drinks, he didn't fall off the dock into the water. Fergie would walk along the water side and shove father over if he swayed or strayed.
One time, evidently, from family stories, my old man had fallen into the water and couldn't get out since the water level was low. Fergie had crouched and had bent his head so my father could grasp his collar, then he had crawled back, which had assisted in the rescue. Dad had sobered up quickly. To him smelly Fergie had been an angel, regardless.
Caesar had been a son of Fergie. Almost a like kind. Another wonderful dog. On his last days, he had cancer of the bowels, I had purchased a juicy sirloin steak for him. Cooked it. Then had handed to him on a plate. He had sniffed, but wasn't up to it. So I had left it the plate on the poarch.
The next morning the steak had disappeared and so had Caesar. He had eaten it and had walked off into the the forest... without announcing or bothering anyone. Apparently, dogs do that, I found out from a First Nations Elder and Shaman friend. We never found his body.
Thus, Sunny, in a way is a continuation of Fergie and Caesar.
Before I typed the hand-written story on the computer, more often than not I write with a fountain or ball point pen, then transfer it, I had purchased an instant scratch lottery ticket at a Super Store. And won $50!!!
So... I bought some President's Choice gourmet dog food for Sunny and old Lucky. I should be so damn lucky to come back as a dog and have an owner like me who shares his winnings.