When Gail returned home from work yesterday evening, picked me up and gave me a long, affectionate hug, I assumed she was still full of remorse about swanning off with Yvonne for a long weekend in Valencia, Spain, and abandoning me to the austere rigours of a NE Scotland boarding kennel.
Of course, I was happy to milk her guilty conscience for as long it took for the treat jar to empty, but it turns out that the show of emotion was prompted by something else entirely - a very sad story Gail brought home from the office.
"Oh Bertie, you are so precious, how relieved I am to see you safe and well. You have no idea what an awful thing I heard at work this morning. You know, I could see the minute I went to talk to my boss that something was badly wrong with her. I couldn't believe such a cheerful, confident woman could look so blank, so distraught. We went for a coffee and it all came out. I've told you before how my boss and her gamekeeper husband live out in the sticks with their seven dogs. Well it seems she was driving into their yard on Monday night and the dogs ran out to greet her. She thought the way was clear, but somehow spaniel Kayley, her husband's favourite companion these last twelve years, got under one of the 4WD's wheels and was crushed. When my boss's husband tried to staunch the flow of blood, poor frantic Kayley savaged both of his hands and then died of her injuries before the vet could be reached. Oh Bertie, my boss is a strong, caring person who adores all animals, what a terrible thing to happen. She lost her mother earlier this year too. And her husband is so upset about his dog that he just sits there in silence and won't even go to the doctor to get his wounds seen to. Oh dear, life can be hard sometimes. Come closer Bertie and let me give you another hug."
