11 Oct 2016

And Then A Pet...

A couple, that’s more than one but less than three, of days ago, there was a post at Underdogs regarding pets. This flung my head into reverse and I finally stopped somewhere round the late eighties and early nineties; the only thing I’m absolutely sure of is it was sometime AD.

Anyhoo, this relates to a Toolpusher on a rig I was on at the time. I’d worked with him – let’s call him Bill as I believe that was his name – on a couple of other rigs as he progressed from Driller to Night Pusher and finally to the rig boss.

Bill lived in Spain with his wife and two kids for obvious reasons. One of his neighbours was also an ex-pat complete with wife and kids.

Okay, it’s almost time to start but first, the storey I’m about to recount was related to us Roughnecks by Bill and if it was just the re-telling of an old shaggy dog storey or a true tale, I don’t know but back in the day his sincere telling of the tale convinced us all of its factuality.

Enough – here we go. Bill’s family had a small dog while the neighbour’s kids had a high-priced, top breed rabbit upon which they doted and which was ensconced in a hutch at the bottom of their garden.

One fine morning the Bill family were disturbed by their dog kicking up a wild ruckus out back. Bill rushed to see what the fuss was and saw the dog had got hold of the neighbours prize rabbit. He leaped into action and wrestled the rabbit from the dogs clutches and, other than being covered in soil, it seemed to be undamaged but it quickly became apparent that he hadn’t been quite quick enough to save the rabbit as it was obviously deceased.

They had seen the family go out earlier and all seemed quiet and normal when Bill tentatively peeked over the fence; other than the rabbit hutch door which was open.

After a hasty family meeting and saying ‘bad dog!’ many times, it was decided to wash the rabbit, give it blow dry and brush and Bill would ease through the fence gap where the dog had probably got through, pop the rabbit back in the hutch and patch the fence upon his retreat.

This was all done and Bill and co. sat back and pensively awaited the neighbouring families return and their discovery that the rabbit had left this mortal toil.

The neighbours car duly drove into the drive late that afternoon and the Bill family waited. When the noises started they were way above that which the Bills were expecting so Bill tentatively prepared to the garden and peered over the fence. What he beheld was a terrifying sight as the kids and the guys wife frantically clutched at each other, screeching and wailing with eyes rotating in all and every direction.

Bill, a tad shocked as it was only a rabbit, beckoned to the husband and nervously enquired as to what the problem was and if he could be of any help.
“Damned if I know what’s going on.” replied a confused looking neighbour. “It’s the rabbit. Yesterday morning the kids discovered it’d died during the night so we held a full military funeral and today I took ‘em out to ease their sadness. We get home and they came out here to say ‘Hi’ to the  grave and all they find is an empty hole. Then they look at the hutch and there’s the rabbit, all fluffed-up and propped-up back in it’s cage. Man, they’re going totally nuts.”

Bill looked down at the dog and glowered.
The dog looked up at Bill and wagged his tail.

Quote;  Robert Benchley.

"A boy can learn a lot from a dog; obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning round three times before lying down."

 

2 comments:

Ripper said...

"A boy can learn a lot from a dog; obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning round three times before lying down."

As it happens, turning around three times is very important. Did you know that this is one of a dog's basic instincts? When they do this they are checking that they are not about to lie down on a snake or other nasty venomous creature. I know... I'm the king of useless information with far too much time on my hands...

Mac said...

Ripper,
Don’t belittle yourself. No information is useless my friend and who knows how many people will read your comment, take it to heart and walk round their beds three times then roll in and roll over three times to ensure they’ll be safe through the hours of darkness? I hope these same folk don’t forget to keep their feet tucked in because, all us well informed fellows know, anything nasty waiting under the bed, when it creeps out, goes for the toes first. Sleep well.
As for the time you find on your hands, may I humbly suggest you minimise washing them? Time is the most important stuff we’ll ever get our hands on.