This Friday we are once again taking part in YAM-Aunty's Final Friday Fiction challenge. Our prompts this month come from Nan Shepherd's 'The Quarry Wood', and the lines from page 87 are:
Line 8: But the full certainty of understanding
Line 12: Not little, for only thus could he endure
Line 16: So he grew, oft surrendering complete
Following the pattern set by our earlier efforts this year, this story is once again only part fictional...
A Narrow Escape?
Once upon a time a smart, handsome and utterly adorable fox terrier got wind of the fact that his human was planning to desert him in order to go jetting off overseas for the Christmas period.At first he refused to believe that this could possibly true. But then he overheard a phone conversation in which the owner gave details of her credit card to 'Dothedogs Kennels', a notorious canine internment camp located deep in the forests of Aberdeenshire where the plaintive cries of temporarily abandoned pups could not be heard, and the full certainty of his predicament became clear.
Fortunately, this wily wiry fellow was, true to the terrier type, resourceful and determined. He formulated a plan to wheedle an invitation for Christmas in a warm house with friendly folk who understood the importance of a regular supply of tasty treats, a soft bed, frequent games of tickle and tug-of-war, and long walks in the hills at least every other day, for only thus could he endure the absence of his beloved human.
He immediately set about endearing himself to a soft-hearted neighbour, worming his way into her affections and onto her comfiest sofa with his cheerful and gently bouncy ways. He always made sure he looked his best and never ever rolled in deer poo or decomposing fish when in her company. Of course she could not resist his fuzzy little face, and when she heard of his imminent imprisonment, she cried:
"Oh please tell me this is not true! I cannot imagine how your human can think of surrendering you to such a vile place. No indeed, I absolutely insist you must come and spend the Festive Season at my house, where the treat jar is always full and your every wish will be my command."
And so it came to pass, and the wire fox terrier lived happily ever after. At least in his dreams...
I hope that dream comes true and the wily wiry fox terrier can spend da howl-i-days with da soft-hearted & treat-prepared neighbor...
ReplyDeleteGreat story. But we hope the WHOLE thing was just a dream and that you will be spending the festive season in your own home!
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteOMD, that poor wily-wiry one... I too hope there is more fiction than fact and that he gets to stay with his beloved human. (Then again, the neighbour sounds like the Mrs Clause of everyone's dreams, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad...)! hugs and wags YAM-aunty xxx
Teka says you may come and stay here and she will go stay with your nice neighbor, and warns you to “beware the not quite three year old.”
ReplyDeleteWell fiction or not we hope you keep being welcome at your neighbors if Gail has to go out of town without you.
ReplyDeleteGosh Bertie, my mama always told me not to tell a dream before breakfast unless you wanted it to come true. I hope you had a very hearty breakfast before you told us this dream!!!
ReplyDeleteHowever, in my humble opinion staying with your neighbor sounds like a fine place to be.
Gail bravo for the great story!!
Hugs Cecilia
We truly hope this was all fiction...although there have been rumblings here of "camp over the howlidaze" too...
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Rosy, Jakey & Arty
That sounds like the kind of dream we would love to have too. We have an away-from-home weekend coming up very soon. We will have to start hunting for a nice neighbor to help us out too.
ReplyDeleteWoos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Oh what a wonderful story we do hope the part about the very nice neighbor is true.
ReplyDeletehugs
Hazel & Mabel
We hope it doesn't come true.
ReplyDelete