User:JamesErvin.ia

DUKE

One morning Jack, the terrier, went on his usual patrol of the acre. His favorite squirrel appeared and he made his usual chase. Not prey, just exercise and a warm up game. Not a bully, even when he gets close, he lets Mr. Squirrel escape into the tree with no damage. The squirrel thinks himself smart and fast and sits in low branches chattering and taunting. Jack knows better! Time to exercise the big dogs. Four big ol’ darlin’ Saint Bernards, and Barley, a yappy shiny black Shipperkee, and Willie, a curly Snoodle, or whatever the heck he is; doubtful even his parents know. Nip the Saints on the ankles, bite Willie on the tail, nip Barley on the ear, and the chase is on! Around the acre they go, four big darlin’ Saints and two yappers in the dusty trails. Jack out front, skipping, just fast enough to keep them interested. Into the bushes at the far corner, magic bushes be these. Jack’s doing something in there, when they appear again, he is chasing them! Ten pounds of Terrier running after quarter ton of friends, Big Dogs and yappers now out in front. Jack nipping at their heels. No one mean, all just fun. Sweet dogs, friends, on their morning run. The Saints tire, one by one, enough exercise, enough fun. Let’s eat! Jack not ready to end the play, nips Saint Sophie at her feet. Sophie is having none of this because she’d rather eat. Lets Jack have hold of her foot, and squats firmly on his face. Shake and squirm, to escape from firm, hundred and fifty pounds, sweet Sophie sitting on his face, and when she felt he’d had enough, of this kind of rough and tough, smile would she, and set him free, he’d flee, with winning smile would she, let him go, and go eat. Junk left sitting in a hole, and the junk makes fair good roof, a fort from hot and humid sun, Big Dogs do escape. Darlin’ dogs take shelter there, thunderstorms, and they don’t care. While building there, the shelter there. Hornets do object. Sting Jack upon the nose, and damn does he reflect. Back off some, Kingdom Come. What the Heck was that? Back for more in curious crouch, shake the sting off his hornets’ nose, cross eyed stare, nose still bare, Hornets new to he. And sniffing them, who be these? Back and forth, curiousity. Shakes his head, then back for more, no fear has he, or thought to flee. Experiment, experience, endless Terrier curiosity.

Jack came to live with me, so much friend, small ball of fur, though sheds as Autumn leaves. Russell hair, everywhere, such a friend that I don’t care. Fine good friend be he.

Sits on me, we watch TV, and comes that special look. From nowhere where, that tongue is there, affectionate slurp, face to friend, be me. Our Jack friend female, Tessie girl, does the same to me. I dog sit, and her dog spit, French, all over me. I welcome it affectionately, Darlin’ Jack be she. Lived to close to Great Red Cedar, 08’ flood river, stops just at the door. The river slow, drops, recedes, and slowly goes. Flood recedes, leaves snakes and weeds, serpents live amongst the reeds. Water gone, I have a lawn, with serpent everywhere. Jack the Terrier always there. Whips them, flips them, toys flying in the air. I feed him, he kills the snakes, proves dogs be loyal friend. In days of old, snakes be bold, we slept in peace as dogs defend, and snakes many met their end. Still today, we sleep while dogs defend. Jack was curious of everything, chased a frog on to a lake. Summers rains, the water high, by scant finger had his collar I, hooked desperately through gaps in planks of bridge. Drowning, drowned as stared at me, in silence, struggling stopped, resigned to wet eternity. Jack drowned beneath the August Dudgeon Bridge. More fit I, less coward I, Jack may then, just might survive. Frustration be, the end of Jack and me, him dead, yet both be washed away.