On my way home from school in the spring and early summer and the weather was good I always enjoyed a quiet half hour sitting on the stone ditch that bordered the footpath at the beginning of the Camlough Road out from Newry on your right hand side. For me it was very restful and an added interest was that the railway yard stretched out before me from this vantage point. This was known as a marshalling yard where a lot of work was done to assemble goods trains before dispatching them to various towns in Ireland. My interest was in a guessing game in which I tried to guess where each wagon was being shunted to make up the completed train. You see, the shunter/driver picked up wagons from many sidings and with the help of his railway aides, he picked up wagons, pulled them along the main track and then shunted them to the required siding. I made a guess as to which siding this might be. It was a peaceful interest for me and I did not know it then, also a form of therapy after a day at school, and a different teacher every hour of that day.
Today was a bit different in that I had company. I was so intent on my calculations about the rolling wagons, I did not notice her presence until the loud barking drew my attention. She had a short stick in her mouth and was preparing to lay it at my feet. Getting ready for playtime it seemed and I soon forgot about shunting engines and trundling wagons in the marshalling yard. How long had I sat there? I had forgotten. I did not have a watch but I decided to give her a few minutes of my now “valuable” time. I say “valuable” because I had to meet a dead line for homecoming. Picking up my bag and slinging it over my shoulders, I proceeded on my way home. Except to say “shoo, its time you were on your way also”. She just looked at me but I did not give her a second glance.
I had gone about a quarter of my journey when I happened to look around to see if there was anyone I knew who would be company. No, there was no one I knew amongst those going my way. I looked again because I could not believe that the hound was only a few yards behind me, piece of stick between her jaws, vigorously wagging her tail. I had noticed her again. This was a new development I did not need. I was on my way home and in a hurry now. It is said often that home is where the heart is, and though I had not heard the phrase at that time.
Derrybeg House had an acre of land around it, half in orchard and the remainder in cultivation, my fathers pride and joy. The image of him eyeing a mongrel at my heels did not bear thinking about. He did not have to say it aloud, but it was there unspoken. No, you cannot, cannot have a dog here. So, gently patting her on the head, picking up the piece of stick, I threw it as far as I could over the high hedge of a garden and ran for dear life. That got rid of her, I thought. I was near the Egyptian Arch at this time, within a quarter mile of home. The arch which I mentioned was built high over the Camlough Road, carrying the Belfast to Dublin railway line. I was looking forward to seeing mother soon.
But my joy turned to consternation when I spotted that the dog ahead of me was struggling through a gap in a hedge, about three hundred yards from where I had fondly thought I had got rid of her for ever. As she bounded towards me, I gave her a quick look, looking for some redeeming feature that might appeal to my fond parent. By now I knew there was no turning back, I was being taken over without any doubt. Images came to mind, those straight and well kept furrows or drills, the neat beds of lettuce and spring onions, cabbage and sprouts, turnips and other kinds of vegetables, all planted with loving care and almost ready for harvesting. I was part of the care, not so much the loving, because I could be at those said veggies at 6.30 am also. A dilemma of magnum size was heading my way, I foresaw in my minds eye. Anyway I tried again to shoo her off at the bottom of the lane, but no, she had no sense of obedience at all. I looked at her again and when I saw those big brown eyes looking at me so expectantly I hoped they would make some impression on another, higher up the scale.
I would have prayed also had I known about the efficacy at that time, but it did not seem a matter for which to get onto your knees. The dog was at my heels, still wagging that tail and my mother opened the front door. Brothers and sisters gathered around excitedly and that four legged creature must have thought to herself, I have arrived. My mother was easy, wanting to know if it was hungry? I still had misgivings, my father was on the late. He would not be home until 10 o’clock and now it was only 4.30 pm It was a long wait and I would be in bed. We all decided to make a bed for her in one of the outhouses as far away from our sleeping quarters as possible and await the verdict in the morning, hopefully.
Strangely enough, my dad took one hard look at her, seemed to weigh up the possibilities, and looking at his small children surrounding him. There were too my pleas and he threw in the sponge.
Today was a bit different in that I had company. I was so intent on my calculations about the rolling wagons, I did not notice her presence until the loud barking drew my attention. She had a short stick in her mouth and was preparing to lay it at my feet. Getting ready for playtime it seemed and I soon forgot about shunting engines and trundling wagons in the marshalling yard. How long had I sat there? I had forgotten. I did not have a watch but I decided to give her a few minutes of my now “valuable” time. I say “valuable” because I had to meet a dead line for homecoming. Picking up my bag and slinging it over my shoulders, I proceeded on my way home. Except to say “shoo, its time you were on your way also”. She just looked at me but I did not give her a second glance.
I had gone about a quarter of my journey when I happened to look around to see if there was anyone I knew who would be company. No, there was no one I knew amongst those going my way. I looked again because I could not believe that the hound was only a few yards behind me, piece of stick between her jaws, vigorously wagging her tail. I had noticed her again. This was a new development I did not need. I was on my way home and in a hurry now. It is said often that home is where the heart is, and though I had not heard the phrase at that time.
Derrybeg House had an acre of land around it, half in orchard and the remainder in cultivation, my fathers pride and joy. The image of him eyeing a mongrel at my heels did not bear thinking about. He did not have to say it aloud, but it was there unspoken. No, you cannot, cannot have a dog here. So, gently patting her on the head, picking up the piece of stick, I threw it as far as I could over the high hedge of a garden and ran for dear life. That got rid of her, I thought. I was near the Egyptian Arch at this time, within a quarter mile of home. The arch which I mentioned was built high over the Camlough Road, carrying the Belfast to Dublin railway line. I was looking forward to seeing mother soon.
But my joy turned to consternation when I spotted that the dog ahead of me was struggling through a gap in a hedge, about three hundred yards from where I had fondly thought I had got rid of her for ever. As she bounded towards me, I gave her a quick look, looking for some redeeming feature that might appeal to my fond parent. By now I knew there was no turning back, I was being taken over without any doubt. Images came to mind, those straight and well kept furrows or drills, the neat beds of lettuce and spring onions, cabbage and sprouts, turnips and other kinds of vegetables, all planted with loving care and almost ready for harvesting. I was part of the care, not so much the loving, because I could be at those said veggies at 6.30 am also. A dilemma of magnum size was heading my way, I foresaw in my minds eye. Anyway I tried again to shoo her off at the bottom of the lane, but no, she had no sense of obedience at all. I looked at her again and when I saw those big brown eyes looking at me so expectantly I hoped they would make some impression on another, higher up the scale.
I would have prayed also had I known about the efficacy at that time, but it did not seem a matter for which to get onto your knees. The dog was at my heels, still wagging that tail and my mother opened the front door. Brothers and sisters gathered around excitedly and that four legged creature must have thought to herself, I have arrived. My mother was easy, wanting to know if it was hungry? I still had misgivings, my father was on the late. He would not be home until 10 o’clock and now it was only 4.30 pm It was a long wait and I would be in bed. We all decided to make a bed for her in one of the outhouses as far away from our sleeping quarters as possible and await the verdict in the morning, hopefully.
Strangely enough, my dad took one hard look at her, seemed to weigh up the possibilities, and looking at his small children surrounding him. There were too my pleas and he threw in the sponge.
No comments:
Post a Comment