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A home without a wall, |
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A home without a wall, |
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| Passions in Prose |
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Bobo |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart 
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It was a long summer, and just the end of July. Kari was only nine, but felt a whole lot older. She was the eldest of three, and here they were, living out in what her Dad laughingly called “the boondocks”. All she knew was, there weren’t any other houses close by, and she was her own best friend. She played sometimes with her younger brother Bob, and her sister Annie was just a baby of eighteen months, so she wasn’t much good at playing, but as far as her brother went, sometimes he was more pest than friend. So she pretty much buddied up with her Dad as often as she could when he was home from work. Her Dad knew everything! They raised some chickens and ducks, and a couple of rabbits were kept in a pen on the south side of the house. They had a dog, Bobo, which was her dog, she always insisted. After all, Bobo came to them when she was just a small baby herself. Mom always shared stories of how, when they had lived in L.A., she could put Kari into a playpen out in the front yard for some sunshine, and Bobo was very much the guard-dog, even though she was just a Cocker Spaniel mix. Not even her Dad could touch Kari in the play pen if Mom had told Bobo “protect her”. No one but Mom could then take her out of the playpen and back to the house. So, Bobo was pretty special to Kari all of these last nine years. Bobo was “her” dog! Today was a special day. Dad was home all day long, and it wasn’t even Saturday. Or Sunday. She just knew that today they planned on going out and finding the stray duck that had come to nest in their field, and to mark the eggs with a pencil, “B” for her brother Bob, and “K” for herself, so that when the eggs hatched, they could see which duckling had come out, and then that duckling would belong to the appropriate child. This was a special duck, because it had red circles around it’s eyes, its feathers were black and white, and Kari had never seen a duck like this before. It seemed friendly, but didn’t hang around with the other domestic ducks. It was special. As Dad, Kari and Bob were ready to go out into the field to find the nesting duck’s whereabouts, Kari told Bobo “stay here!” She didn’t want the dog to spook the duck, or hurt any ducklings if any of them had hatched. Bobo sat, her curly golden hair shining in the noon sun, looking sad, and Kari felt a twinge of guilt at leaving Bobo behind, especially for having spoken so sharply. But she knew it was better that Bobo stay behind. After awhile and not having found the duck’s nest, Dad, Bob and Kari came back home and Mother was in the back yard, frantic, looking for Kari’s little sister, Annie. “Where is she? Where's Annie?” Mother asked. “Did she go with you?” Dad shook his head and Kari yelled “Bobo!” and the dog came running around the from the front of the house. “Find Annie!” yelled Kari, and Bobo, just like Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie, went running off east. Dad took off running as well, for Bobo was headed for the pits. Everyone went running around the house, in and out, looking for Anne. Kari followed her Dad. The “pit” was what they called the unfenced areas east of the house. Kari and Bob were never allowed to go in that direction to play. Some time ago, oil well diggers had dug for oil and since left behind open pits of putrid oil remains and scummy water. The pits had never been filled in. The older kids knew it was dangerous to go there. Annie didn’t. Annie was just a toddler. Somehow Annie had gotten out of the house. Kids are quick that way. Mother had thought Annie was with Dad, Kari and Bob, and didn’t worry. But when she had looked through the window and saw just the three of them coming home, apprehension had hit her, and fast. Dad was catching up with Bobo, and Bobo was barking furiously. Then, Dad could see the blonde of Annie’s hair, bobbing up through the grass. Bobo was gaining, and got in front of Annie, barking furiously, trying to make her stop. Annie kept walking east. Bobo was between Annie and the pit. Annie was laughing, thinking Bobo was playing with her. She kept progressing. Knowing her person was in danger, Bobo kept backing up, keeping herself between Annie and the pit. Suddenly the man was there, picking up his daughter. Bobo stopped. Then Bobo slipped. Everything moved fast again. Dad shoved Annie into Kari’s arms, and Kari swung around to Mom, who had followed. Kari went lunging for Bobo, but Dad shoved her out of the way, reached down, and caught Bobo up by the collar as the dog fell half-way into the mucky, oily waters. Dad put Bobo safely back on the grass and Bobo immediately started wagging her tail, and then started to try to lick herself clean. Mom screamed “don’t let the dog clean herself! We’ve got to get her cleaned up now!” Dad nodded and picked up the dog and everyone started toward home. Mom had Annie in her arms, and Kari followed from behind. Bob had been told to stay at the house, and as everyone got closer to home, Dad called for Bob to get the aluminum tub from the garage and to fill it with water. Mom went into the house with Annie to get the Naphtha soap and Dad went into the garage for some turpentine. Mom brought out rags and Kari was feeling a rush of adrenaline, although she just felt nervous, because Mom and Dad weren’t talking much, but moving fast over her dog. She knew the oil and muck was sticky and gooey, and Bobo would need help getting it off, but she could not figure out why Mom was acting so worried about Bobo’s cleaning herself. Finally, with turpentine, soaps, and scissors, Mom and Dad managed to get Bobo pretty clean. A little worse for wear, Bobo slept that night with Kari, like she usually did, and Kari thought that for all of the excitement, the day had gone by pretty fast. A few weeks later, with school starting, Kari’s mind was on her new school clothes and shoes and who she would meet in the 5th grade, for she would be going to a new school. She was pretty much centered on herself, and it didn’t really pierce her attention when Dad and Mom were talking about Bobo. She heard something about seeing the vet, but it didn’t sink in. As she was ready for her first day of school, she went to Bobo, who was sleeping fitfully and whining softly as she slept. Kari knelt down to pet Bobo goodbye for the day, knowing she would run home to her dog directly after school to share all of her secret thoughts and dreams. Bobo woke, looked at Kari with her big brown eyes, and then nestled her chin back down upon her paws. Kari came straight home from school that day, excited, happy, hot and disheveled, the way most fifth graders are, and began calling for Bobo. No answer. No happy wagging tail. “Bobo, come here!” she called again. Nothing. She ran into the house, and almost directly into her mother. “Mom, where’s Bobo?” Mom was looking pretty miserable, and sat Kari down on the couch. She told her that Bobo wasn’t here any more, but in heaven, where she was warm, and happy, and safe, and Mom was sorry that Kari hadn’t been able to say goodbye to Bobo. She explained, as Kari’s heart broke and her tears flowed, that Bobo had become sick from the oily, mucky water she had fallen in a month ago, and that the vet knew there was no choice but to help Bobo out of this life easily, so she would no longer be in any pain. Kari knew pain. She ran outside, to “their” tree, where she used to sit with Bobo, with the dog’s head upon her knee, and spill her stories to her, softly stroking Bobo’s fur. She ran and sat under the weeping willow and cried until her throat ached, and her eyes burned. She cried for her loss, for the dog who was gone, and for all of the things she somehow knew she didn’t yet know, but would someday experience. She cried until she couldn’t let loose another tear, and then she sobbed. A few years later, she would write a poem for this dog who never left her heart, or her mind, no matter how many new dogs or cats or other animals had come into her life, and she loved every one of them. And she never, ever forgot her first love. ------------------ © KRJ Sunshine Words will always express our feelings true. ~~~ KRJ Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
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| © Copyright 1999 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Alain DeLaCendres Member
since 1999-07-02
Posts 119Ohio |
I like this. My only question is this: Are you Kari? The last paragraph brought rise to the thought, then when I saw the "KRJ" at the bottome, it got me wondering. You told this story very smoothly, and I read it straight though to the end. In a way, this reminds me of a short story by Stephen King called "My Pretty Pony", check it out, you'll like it. ------------------ Tout s'en va, tout passe, l'eau coule, et le couer oublie. [This message has been edited by Alain DeLaCendres (edited 08-06-99).] |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Yes, Alain, it was a true story, and I am the nine year old. To be compared to Stephen King is a wonderful compliment, thank you. I am glad you found it to be a smooth read. I write like I talk, so I am hard on myself when it comes to critiquing and editing my own work. This went through three edits. I thought it might be too long, but I wanted to tell the story. Thanks for your comments. ------------------ © KRJ Sunshine Words will always express our feelings true. ~~~ KRJ Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
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Dragoness Senior Member
since 1999-08-07
Posts 513 |
What a beautiful tribute to Bobo! Having lost my dogs in the past I know the pain you must hsve felt.Very heart wrenching! ------------------ Set you heart free and your mind will follow. |
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Nicole Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835Florida |
Sunshine, please don't be hard on yourself, for the way you wrote this story. As Alain said, it read very smoothly and was not too long at all. Very touching, endearing, and sad...I too know the pain you felt, and I was very moved reading this. Thank you for sharing your story. ------------------ "Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with." *Mark Twain* |
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Sadelite Member Elite
since 2003-10-11
Posts 2519 |
Sunshine, This really touched me. I'm glad you told me about it. It's helping me to deal a little better with the loss of my Sammy. Sadelite |
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Savage Quiescence Member
since 2002-07-29
Posts 326Wandering |
I might be a little late on this, but awesome job. This was a very moving piece, thank you for sharing. Keep writing. |
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Fagin Member
since 2004-05-07
Posts 126Ca |
I dont even recall getting the washtub, all I remember is Mom talking to you. I never knew why Bobo was there in the first place. Wasn't Bobo's name originally Bubbles? And yes, Im crying as I write this. Thank you, Sis |
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merlynh Member
since 1999-09-26
Posts 411deer park, wa |
I could tell you but some thought into this piece. Thanks for the read. |
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Jeffrey Carter
since 2000-04-08
Posts 2367State of constant confusion! |
Kari, thanks for sharing this, if you don't mind I'd like to print this out and send it to a friend of mine that just lost their dog. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Jeff, thank you - and yes. Check your e-mail. |
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