Yes, our tot lot was a mess for a long time with sand and rebar and large fences. I took out my old dog one morning and there were little kids in there who had climbed the fence and were inside with the rebar. I told them to get out, they were 2-6 years old. Otherwise I’d call their mothers.
It was seven in the morning. I did not know how to reach their mothers but they got out of the rebar and went home and called me every name known to mankind. I was now the witch that needed to be avoided at all costs. I just knew it was not safe in there and did not want to call an ambulance for a cut or rebar stick lest it hurt the kids.
Over the year our park was neglected. then finally padded footing was put in with plain vanilla slides et al. Nothing like I grew up with as a kid. The kids befriended my old dog Chani. They’re probably out of college and have wives and kids by now.
We were closest to two boys, Jessie and James. James was older and had a kind of gang of friends around. One day, Chani died. I rushed her to her doc but she’d bled out so we had to euthanize her. Friends came ’round to give their respects at the hospital, in the park and at the watering ceremony for the tree they gave our park in her memory.
I went out to our park and ran into Jessie right after she died, and his older brother James. I asked Jessie to come back behind the bushes with me. At six he was very manly. He did cry, then demanded to know exactly how Chani died. As a woman I did not understand this, and it led to seeing his big brother and his friends. Now. I’m going to yell at you for nothing “Don’t ever do that again!!!” so you can tell him about our Chani later.
A year later I lent them my breed book and they chose Sparky, a Jack Russell Terrier they named Sparky because of Dad, a sub sonar officer. They gave me back my book and I was the first person Sparky visited. Good friends. Here’s to good dogs! Dee
Cooking with Dee 