What small dogs can do

What befalls two groups of women.

WHAT SMALL DOGS CAN DO

 

Although it was a few days after the New Year, the weather was sunny on the beach. The sky was a harsh bright blue. Lena and Sonia were taking a walk, to get away from their normal Sunday afternoons watching old films on the television. The beach was always the best place to get out of the house and into the fresh air. As they walked, the sea was on their right and a small dog was running about and barking at the waves. To their left was the beach wall, and a group of girls were sitting around a pile of large stones, in the centre of which tea lights were burning. Flowers had been scattered over and around the stones, and the small dog ran away from them and back again to the sea. Lena and Sonia carried on walking until they eventually arrived at the end of the beach, which was a port and marina. They went no further, but instead observed how there were all kinds of sea-going vessels. The port area had restaurants and pubs, which were beginning to receive customers from the boats as soon as the sky began to darken. The most common sound to be heard was that of ice cubes being placed into glasses, and the water lapping against the sides of the boats was gentle and soothing. People began disgorging from the majority of them, to have early drinks, and then later on, to be followed by a fish dinner and more drinks.

The sky was changing from the brilliant blue to violet, when Lena and Sonia turned round to make their way back. The breeze from the sea was cooler and stronger as they walked. The small dog could be heard barking in the distance. The candles were no longer burning, and the girls, Crystal and Manuela, the small dog’s owner, made their way to join Erica and Hilary, who had already left for the car park. They heard a voice call, “Perry, come here!” and saw the small dog appear from out of the growing darkness to catch up with the girls.

Lights were also going on in the few pubs and cafés that looked out onto the beach. The air was getting colder. The car park was behind the beach, and the common movement was that of cars leaving. The four girls got into one of the cars with Perry, and drove off.

Lena and Sonia saw the small dog as he was picked up by Manuela, and placed on her lap where she was sitting on the back seat. The two middle aged women got into Lena’s car, and drove off. The car park was almost in darkness, and it would soon be when the last car left. Meanwhile the waves still stroked the sand as they had always done so.

 

The four friends were sitting in the car talking about the afternoon’s experience on the beach.

“I don’t think we could have done more in a remembrance ceremony, do you?” Crystal asked her friends.

“No, I don’t. It seems we did what was required, that’s all,” Erica answered.

Manuela said, “Well, girls, I’m off and out. My mother will be waiting behind the front door to see that Perry and I have arrived back home safely.”

 

She opened the car door at the back, and with Perry in her arms, she got out of the vehicle and walked up the garden path. Hilary looked at Manuela with envy, “I wish my family would let me have a small dog like Perry. He’s good company and he helps Manuela make friends everywhere he goes.”

“That’s true. Well, you’ll have to try and persuade your parents to change their minds. People usually like animals when there’s one in the home. Come on, let’s go.”

 

Manuela’s mother was waiting for her daughter and the dog when they opened the door. The small dog ran to his bowl in the kitchen, where he slurped back a lot of water. Manuela told her mother what they had done on the beach. Manuela and her parents sat down and ate an abundant supper. Her mother knew that the beach opened anyone’s appetite.

Hilary went back to an impeccable home, where a single speck of dust was attacked by her mother with furniture sprays and cloths. The members of the family were waiting for her at the glass-topped dining table, that didn’t even have the tiniest scratch on it. “I know I’m a bit late, but we were talking in the car.” Hilary stared at her home and saw it would be a rather large impossibility to ask for a dog in that atmosphere. She almost felt sorry for any animal that ever entered, because her mother would inevitably put it outside in the garden.

 

Lena went home to an empty house, none of her family lived there any more. She locked the front door behind her and switched on the hall light. Every time she left home, on her return she went all over the house to see if anything was out of place or disturbed in any way. Lena had put the house up for sale, and she herself would move into a ground floor flat in a better area. Many of her friends had asked her if she would be interested in a bungalow, but she said a flat would suit her fine. While she was waiting for a buyer, she was keeping the house clean, neat, and tidy. The house held too many memories of all sorts, and she wanted to start again while she still had the energy.

Sonia had a different set of circumstances. Her life was based on looking after her elderly parents, who were becoming more and more demanding. The walks with Lena were the high spot in Sonia’s life. It was difficult to find a friend of your own age when you’re over forty. Sonia’s children were teenagers, and didn’t understand their mother’s devotion to her parents.

 

The woods were not all green, as the leaves on the trees had changed and were still changing colour, when Perry was out and about again. The four girls had met up for a morning away from home and parents. The wood had the haze hanging over it of smoke that arose from compost and dead leaves being burnt. It was a heavy and hypnotic aroma and conjured up ages-old myths and legends. Perry was rolling around in the heavily leafy carpeted ground. The dead leaves were pushed up into the air by his actions. There was also the scent of pine cones and needles. The quartet was happy just walking about.

They weren’t alone in the wood. There were two middle-aged women present. Lena and Sonia were happily wandering around enjoying the heavily perfumed air. Lena had moved to her new flat, and Sonia was a regular visitor. Sonia felt a little envious of Lena having a place of her own, it was her dream too, of one day having somewhere where she could do what she wanted, without having to worry or think about what others wanted or needed.

At that point neither the four girls, nor the two women, were aware of each other’s presence in the wood.

 

The village where they were out for the day, was one specially chosen for its atmosphere and amenities. The most popular eating place was called ‘The Hungry Wolf’. The sign post was amusing rather than sinister. Those visitors who were out for the day were attracted to it because of its proximity to the wood on the opposite side of the road. The four girls with Perry crossed the road and went inside the bar. Everywhere there was the smell of chrysanthemums, rich yellow ones in copper vases. They were shown to a table outside because of the dog, with a large gas-fuelled torch that heated the table area while they were eating. Perry was given a bowl of water and the girls perused the menu.

Lena and Sonia went inside to the restaurant and were offered a window table, from which they could see the haziness of the smoke rising into the already unclear autumnal air. There were chrysanthemums in copper vases everywhere, and on the window sill where they were sitting, the pungent perfume of the large flowers dominated that of any chemically produced one. Tall, golden coloured candles were standing either side of the chrysanthemums as they were watching a waiter, who approached and lit the candles, lending an even more autumnal atmosphere.

“Lena, isn’t that the small dog we saw once on the beach?”

Lena removed her gaze from the menu, and stared out of the window in the direction that Sonia was pointing. “It might well be, although it must be quite a while now since we were on the beach.”

They sat and watched Perry while he drank his bowl of water. “I’d like a small dog like that, Lena said, “It would be good company for me, and I’d feel better about going for walks in the park alone.”

Whenever Lena spoke in that way, it made Sonia aware of the dullness of her own life. She was more than fed up with her parents and her children, who were becoming as demanding as her parents. Sonia wasn’t jealous of Lena, she just wished she could live a life not subjected to the other members of the family. Many times Sonia felt that she was being pulled in four directions at the same time. Sonia’s husband had jumped ship many years ago, when it was becoming obvious what their future was going to be. It hadn’t taken him long to find solace in the arms of another, and much younger, woman.

 

The smells and aromas of autumn were just a memory when Christmas carols were to be heard in shopping malls and on street corners. The typical Christmas scenes of cotton-wool snow decorated the shop windows. In Manuela’s house, her mother had tied a red ribbon around Perry’s neck. He was rushing about in a vain attempt to rid himself of the offensive article. Manuela was going out Christmas shopping with her friends. Her mother and grandmother were busy making decorative table-centres. Perry sat down on the carpet and made a great show of tearing at the ribbon. The front door bell rang. It was Crystal with the other two friends who made up the quartet. Perry ran to the door on hearing Crystal’s voice. Manuela’s mother got hold of him by his scruff, and took him into the kitchen with her, and her mother. Manuela ran out and got into Crystal’s car quickly. The weather was miserable and wet. The four of them tried animating one another on the journey to the shopping centre.

 

Lena was at home with the television switched on. She was watching a film. The last thing she wanted to do, was to go Christmas shopping in such bad weather. Sonia and Lena hadn’t seen each other in quite a while, due to several factors. Sonia’s family members were being too difficult for her to handle. Her patience was running out, and she was angry with her children for demanding so much money. She had found her son stealing money from her purse, and had sent him to live with his father. Her daughter was no better, and she went to live with their father too. Sonia told the welfare officer that she just couldn’t cope with her parents and her children, “My ex-husband has never taken any interest in the children, and now I think it’s time he did. It isn’t fair that I have to sort out all their problems - and mine too. I’m afraid of falling ill, and then they would have to move out.”

Sonia’s ex-husband’s new wife was not at all pleased with the arrival of his teenage son and daughter to their ultra-modern house, dedicated to all that glittered and shone. They were given a bedroom each, accompanied by a dire warning, “You are responsible for the upkeep of this room, and if it isn’t up to my standard - then out you go.”

 

Christmas is a time for parties, however good or bad they are. The houses were full of candles and flowers. Nobody was mean about the money spent on the decorations. It was a case of the sky’s the limit. On Boxing Day Manuela and her family went to visit some elderly relatives. Perry was put into his carrying basket due to the fact that the elderly people were not used to dogs. Manuela told her mother, “If Perry has to go in that thing, then I’m not going. He hasn’t been in a basket since he was a puppy.”

Manuela’s mother then said, “I have a solution, Perry stays here while we go, and we can come back early if you’d rather be with him.”

Manuela agreed with her mother, and they left Perry sitting in his open basket. The family drove off, with Manuela wishing she could stay behind with her small dog.

 

Perry was used to being with a member of the family and having a lot of attention. After a while he was bored and began snooping around the living-room and then upstairs. He loved biting anything that took his fancy, he knew how to open doors and pull out drawers. He jumped on the beds and tore away at the pillows until there was nothing much left of them. Perry knocked over a large bottle of toilet water in Manuela’s bedroom. His best antic upstairs was spilling talcum powder all over the bathroom floor. He was a very angry small dog. When he had trashed the upstairs rooms, he made his way downstairs and began on the sofa. He got through the upholstery in record time. Perry was hungry and went into the kitchen to get some food. Manuela’s mother had left the remains of the turkey on a covered plate on the table. He jumped up and managed to drag the turkey and the plate onto the floor, where it made a huge crash. Perry was ecstatic. He buried his little face into the meat, and ate and ate till he couldn’t move. That done, he went into the dining-room and saw the decorative table-centre on the table with the candles and the flowers. Manuela’s mother hadn’t blown the candles out, and so they were still burning. Perry climbed onto a chair and pulled the table-centre onto the floor. In no time at all, the candles had set some other decorations alight. The flowers were not looking very happy. Perry didn’t like the fire, so he began barking frantically. A next door neighbour heard him, and broke the glass in the kitchen door, and got him out. She also rang the fire brigade, and had to inform them that she didn’t know where the family had gone. The firemen were not too happy about Manuela’s family, and asked the neighbour to look after Perry.

 

The living-room was no longer blazing when the family got home and saw the destruction. The neighbour informed the police, and they called round to speak to Manuela’s mother, and ask her why the dog was alone in the house and why the candles were still lit.

 

Manuela went to the neighbour’s, and picked up Perry, who was overjoyed to see her. She then rang round her friends and asked them if she and Perry could stay the night. Crystal said of course she could, and Manuela packed a bag with stuff for her and Perry, and left.

“What am I supposed to do?” asked her mother.

“You never thought of Perry for one minute, and it’s the last time I visit any of your old relations. They are perfectly boring. The police could arrest you for leaving Perry alone at home with the candles lit. I’ll be at Crystal’s till you get this place done up. OK?”

Manuela’s mother knew she had no choice but to accept her daughter’s behaviour. Manuela waited till Crystal arrived in the car, and then left with her friend.

 

Lena had bought many hyacinths to embellish her home. The candles when lit heightened the perfume from the plants. Lena had made the decision a long time ago to enjoy her life as mush as possible. As Sonia was always busy with her family, Lena had not invited her home for a dinner, but had booked a holiday at an hotel in a coastal resort for a few days.

 

Everyone who was staying there was old or middle aged, and the entertainments were arranged for them. The vast majority were like Lena, just keen on getting away from the drudge of everyday life. There were walks along the beach, which had a wind that cut right through the thickest of clothes. The best time to go out was in the mornings, when the wind wasn’t so strong.

One of the single men at the hotel made a play for just about every single woman who was on holiday. Lena escaped his unwanted attentions by turning her head away if she saw him approaching.

One day when he was out on the prowl, she spied him following her. Lena was furious and turned round to confront him as he was making his way towards her. He smiled at her, but she just walked right on past. He seemed to have received the message loud and clear, because he kept his distance after that. Apart from the ‘prowler’, the other guests were friendly enough, and Lena was happy to have had the nice little holiday.

 

On the day of her arrival home, Lena saw the scandal of Perry all over the local papers. There was a photo of Manuela and Perry on the front page. Further down on the front page, there was the photo of a man wanted by the police in relation to his wife’s being found dead in the bath. The ‘prowler’, as Lena still thought of him, had been detained by the police. Lena rang Sonia to tell her the news. Sonia told her about her children having gone to live with their father. She said it was easier to manage her parents without the children, and anyway it was time their father put up with them. Sonia was happy having the house without the children. She cooked the food she liked. The table-centre in her house was green and red with thin red candles. Her parents spent one day with their other children, much to Sonia’s pleasure. She sat at the dining-table alone and drank a toast to herself.

 

The New Year brought heavy winds and rain, quickly turning into floods. The streets were full of dead flowers, and old candles left over from Christmas were among the debris. The man who was accused of killing his wife was still in custody pending a fuller inquiry. The four girls were not so close, because Crystal and Erica had got themselves boyfriends over the Christmas holidays. Manuela didn’t have any other friend with a car, so her mother paid for the driving lessons and bought a small car for Manuela and Perry, which she enjoyed using when Manuela was at work.

 

It wasn’t long before Crystal and Erica announced their engagement parties. They each held them in expensive venues, which meant new dresses for the female attendees. Manuela and her mother asked Crystal’s mother about a suitable present. “A small detail for the home,” came the quick reply. Mother and daughter went to the local department store and bought a lot of tea towels and tablecloths. The present was gift wrapped and sent to Crystal’s new home.

Erica’s party was very splendid and the girls wore evening gowns. Manuela told her mother, “I bet you that by the time I get round to getting engaged or married, they’ll both be living in other towns or be saddled with children. Therefore, Mum, I’m not going to Erica’s party. A new dress is a waste of money especially, as I now have to maintain a car.”

 

Manuela and Hilary were becoming estranged from their other two friends, and celebrations for Erica’s engagement were all candles and flowers. Everyone who went, told Hilary and Manuela what they missed out on. Neither of the two young ladies were the slightest bit interested in what their friends were doing. Hilary was keener on her studies, and Manuela was busy with her car.

 

Perry was always up to no good when he had the chance, and, of course, one day he got out and fathered puppies on a white poodle that lived not too far away. Both Manuela and her mother denied that Perry was the culprit. In order to mollify the offended owner of the poodle, Manuela’s mother gave her a beautiful centre-piece made by Manuela’s grandmother.

 

But when they saw the puppies, they knew Perry was the father!

 

The puppies were pretty and sold well, so Manuela acquired one, and asked her mother, “Mum, do you think Perry knows he’s the puppy’s Daddy?”