It's All About Trust

by A R Dent

  Oh - it is near that time - I have a knowing and I know it is time for - lights out at Lucky's house - and she should be in the backyard.

  I sneak along to my gate. Ten paces back... crouch low to the ground and spring off my paws as fast and powerful as I can. Now... up and nose over the top and the left paw is over and hanging on with back paws scratching the wire and thump. Onto the ground, off down the driveway, up the street, into the driveway and down to the gate. I am looking through the gate and whimper as loud as I can - and from the backyard appears a figure.

  ‘Don't jump over Oscar, we can talk here at the gate. We have less than two minutes. That is how long I have in the backyard at night,’ Lucky said, ‘it is nice you called down here tonight. What made you think to come right now?’

  ‘I just got a knowing. A sudden urge to do it. I am glad you were in the backyard. Lucky, it is nice to see you tonight. I worried you might be inside the house.’

  ‘Oscar, do me a favour please. Just stay as you are. Just stay as a dog and a nice one at that. What I like about you is your ability to be free. Free from the hassles of wanting people to do things just for you. Retain your innocence and your charm Oscar. Oh - I have to go now. My adult owner is calling. See you next time Oscar - bye.’

  Then Lucky disappeared. As I turn around to go home I notice the moon is so bright - I think it is a full moon tonight or tomorrow night- oh oh, ah - now that abacus - if I had one of them I could count - and you could count on me - if only I had an abacus to count the days to the full moon.

  Back over the gate and inside my yard I prepare for the final writing of my story. If it is going to be like a walk in the park then maybe I title the story that. Oh, what am I to write about or what storyline or plot or theme or anything?

  I still can’t think of writing. All I am thinking about is what Lucky said, “Don't change Oscar”, stay as I am - a nice dog. A dog with an attitude and she thinks about me. Do other dogs think about other dogs? What would make her think I have charm? I never thought of myself as a dog with charm. Oh, Lucky, get out of my head so that I can think of writing this story. I have to lay down - just to think of Lucky but I see her in my vision. The one I wrote about - look, I am laying down now and it is dark as - the clouds have covered the sky again and here I am visualising Lucky in my eyes which cannot see the door. Weird - maybe I will see her again - it is ages since the last time I saw her - not counting today that is - she is lovely - so polite - so nice - and she is respectful - I like that about her - not like that Daschund I wrote about in the story. There is a further clue - put Lucky in as the central character - but never tell her that. I am too tired to write more....zzzzzzzzzz

  ~~~

  Chapter Eight The thunder from down under

  Good morning puter... straight into it... all is calm on the eastern front and the day is young. Rip this story off and then find out if I can see Lucky again. Huh - walkies would be nice, a drink of water, say hello to the chooks. I heard a chook cackling before - it might have been her that woke me up. The morning is so peaceful and quiet. There is a call from distant Kookaburras of impending rain. The sunrise is red and birds are flighty and not their normal selves. Oh - put it onto the Clipboard for data entry later. The blue tongue lizard has gone and the sound of Fromoth cannot be heard. She might be asleep. I do like this feeling of a country backyard where one thousand stories wait to be written. At first I was scared by Bluey but as lizards go - if I leave him alone then he leaves me alone - he is alright - a cobber to gauge the day by. Now where is that bone - the lawnmower ran over it - next idea for the day - wait for Jack - he gives me a hug and some food then I go back to writing - just another day in the life of an author dog. I am hungry though. Writing does that to me - and hungry for new discoveries. Uh – oh, uh oh, there is a noise and it is coming from the mouth of Betty - uh oh - something about me going over the top again... the gate - Betty has got a text message on her phone from someone again.

  This is the pips - Betty grew up roaming free across distant lands discovering and what do I have to do - sit on my khyber and do nothing? As if, I will explain to Betty how I realise her situation and put on the To Do List for Oscar to do as she pleases and behave myself. Now Jack is going off and screaming at his family. No one is exempt -- Penny is saying what she thinks now - Betty is now foaming at the mouth - Ron is screaming for silence - what does the whole neighbourhood have to do with this? Ron is screaming that everyone can hear them. Betty is out the front now and declaring she is going to live beyond the black stump away from people. It is getting personal. Oh so embarrassing - all the things being said. Uh, oh, Escere is running away from the back door and Penny is crying. Jack is down by the fence where Bluey lives. Ron is out the front one moment and then running back inside the house. I can’t write while this is going on - peace everyone - give me peace - I will scream it again - no one listened - so off into my shed and put my paws over my ears.

  It seems like an eternity. Loud talk - about going to Brisbane to live - about costs of electricity and other things - costs of food - and then I get a mention. A dog that escapes and gets out of the yard is not wanted. Yikes, Betty is saying the phones have been hidden from her ----- oh dear - this is serious - it has never been like this before. Penny is now down the back with Jack. Ron phoned the doctor. Jack and Penny must stay at the house and their father is taking their mum away in the car.

  Escere walks over to me.

  ‘Remember the box Oscar - remember the box - it has to be destroyed. I will get you in the house and create a diversion for you. The box is in Betty's bedroom on her table. The long box is alongside the hair brush and destroy the energy of whatever is inside the box.’

  ‘Why me? Ok, I will do it if I can. I’ll sit by the back door and wait for your signal. Flip your tail around as the signal.’

  I am sitting by the back door for what seems an eternity. Escere has got herself into the house somehow. I didn’t see her go in through a door. Escere is now pushing against the screen door - wait - Penny is coming back from the back fence. Penny is opening the back door and I go to slip in too when she pushes me away. Escere slips between the door and the house and flips her tail around. As I turn to go in Escere leans hard against the door and I enter. Escere then quick as a flash turns too and runs into the kitchen and through into the lounge room and I follow. Escere is behind a couch and calls me there too.

  ‘The hallway is where you could get caught Oscar - Jack is still down the backyard and Penny could stop you going into her mother's bedroom. Sneak into the bathroom and then I will jump up onto Penny. Be quick as I will not be able to hold her attention for very long.’

  I have never been in this room before. I am stunned. It is like something you have never seen before. Black drapes hang off the walls - red and black drapes. The bed is covered with a purple cover and there is the table and the hair brush. I think humans call that long box alongside of the brush - a shoe box - a cardboard shoe box. It is at the back of the table. How do I do it? - How do I destroy whatever it is I have to destroy? A flatulation but this is not the time for an ordinary flatulation - or even an ordinary Galactic Flatulation. This is the time for a Super Galactic Flatulation aimed straight at the box. I see a chair, hop onto that - woops nearly fell off it. Turn around slowly and aim my Flatulator straight at the box. What is the resonance setting - an instant decision needed. I decide on a variable resonance of each Major Scale and its corresponding Minor Scale and couple it with the resonance of L O V E and put a FM dual frequency to counter the H A T E frequency. - Everything resonates together at 50 hertz so if I get the sine waves to meet at the same frequency modulation - they will cancel each other out - and what is left is Free Will of the Spirit. Well folks - if it does not work it will cancel me out instead. Life is not worth living if you cannot be a typical Ocker Bloke and - give it a go mate. Concentrating now - focus on the Bass Guitars and the Violins and throw in a Harpsichord or two and some Clarinets - maybe
play it with a bit of a blues beat and let it have a jazz back beat.....yes - that is it - now focus hard and focus for the yard.

  BA BA BA BA- Trumpled a dee - tweeeeeety weeety and thrump thrump thrump thrump and da da deedee daaa da da deedee daaaaaaaa ---- KABOOOOOOOMMMMMMM

  ~~~

  Oh - I am still breathing - I got knocked off the chair and onto the floor. Standing up ok now.

  ‘What is happening Jack?’ Penny calls out to her brother who is still somewhere else.

  ‘Oscar - quick - whether it worked or not - I still have my back teeth rattling and I have to get you out of the house pronto,’ Escere said and disappeared down the hall.

  ‘Escere, where are you?’

  ‘Here Oscar - hide under the bed in here. I will create another diversion and then run out the door when I signal with the loudest Meow I have done in my life.’

  ‘Jack - something just happened Jack. I am worried.’ Penny yelled out.

  ‘Penny, what time is it? Dad said he would come straight home. He is late,’ Jack called out.

  ‘Exactly 9-15 and even the second hand is on the twelve,’ Penny stood with her hands over her chin as she somehow was stunned by her answer.

  ‘Jack, can you boil eggs yet? I never listened to mum when she wanted us to learn. Can you come and boil some eggs for me please?’ Penny asked Jack.

  As Jack walked into the house, I heard a loud ‘Meow’ and quick as a flash I move into the lounge room to suss out the back door area. All clear and Escere is leaning against the fly screen door. I run for my life - or it seems as though I am.

  Back in my shed - it was the twin's shed but I took over.

  I can hear Penny calling out - ‘I did it - I boiled eggs. I cooked two extra eggs for you too Jack.’

  I have to rest - that was the most incredible, humongous, loudest, and powerful Galactic Flatulation I have managed to enact upon a single cardboard box - it is the only shoe box I have destroyed and it exploded with small bits of everything floating through the air. I hope it worked - the effect of it - the destruction of the energy.

  ‘Oscar - I have to remind you - time is near for you to present the finished story - it is your life on the line Oscar - not mine.’...zeeep.

  I think Calliope means it - I might be dead before the day finishes - how would anyone expect me to finish a story after the heroics I did today. Phooey - but I do want to live. Where are you puter?

  The storm clouds are rolling in. The peace has been disturbed. A new day is needed but will I be here tomorrow?

  ‘Write Oscar write as though you have never written before. Your best will be written today. You have studied words to craft a storyline equal to the best - so write it Oscar. What are you waiting for?’ Calliope said.

  Now, this is it - go for broke - put my paw on the pedal and down to the metal and write. Try this for size baby - huh? Where do words come from I ponder - here goes –

  Hollow Log.

  In a forest of tall gum trees, a dog called Charlie lived in a log. Charlie called his home 'Hollow Log' and it was filled with all sorts of art. Charlie painted art and put it on the walls. He listened to music to soothe his mind. Charlie was little when he happened to witness a scene which made him feel lonely as he lived so alone. Charlie got frightened when he went out to see the people in the village who happened to be three.

  One day a person, who happened to be free, asked Charlie for dinner at Three. Charlie went to the house all scared and took fright when the person opened the door and said ‘Surprise - happy birthday,’ Charlie was not yet Three.

  Whatever it was that caused Charlie to be scared was invisible to everyone except Charlie.

  In Hollow Log Charlie painted all day and sung new tunes playing his guitar to soften the hurt.

  One day all alone, a knock on the door. 'Hello, are you Charlie who lives all alone?’

  ‘Yes I am Charlie what is it you want?’

  ‘I want to paint with you if you do not mind. I have had a fright too. May I sing along with you?’

  ‘Yes, but you are not allowed to talk about what frightened you.’

  The person who wanted to paint with Charlie was from the village. That left two people living in the village. Charlie the dog and the person from the village made friends, painted, and sung all day long.

  Then one day a man who was a woodcutter and felled trees all day knocked on the door.

  'May I paint with you? I have had a hurt and frightened I am. May I also sing a new tune to make happy my day?’ the woodcutter said.

  ‘You may but first I ask why is it you seek me out to make happy your day?’

  ‘It is said in lands far away, that your log is the happiest log and to by-pass it when looking for firewood. The word it is out, Charlie lives in a log and has made himself a studio all covered inside with art.’

  Then one day a man from the city arrived dressed in a suit and knocked on the door using his umbrella.

  ‘I am asking to speak with Charlie of Hollow Log. Are you the same dog I seek?’

  ‘Yes, I am but I do not speak to city folk who peek.’

  ‘It has come to the attention of the Lord of this land that you are a vagrant and need a new home. What we offer you is a home; it has running water and a roof that never leaks.’

  Charlie thought about this and scurried inside and said to his friends ‘It is The Trickster from Fairyland, let us all scare him and frighten him away.’

  And Charlie and his friends did and still live happily and create art in Hollow Log.

  The End

  Yes - yes - yes - five hundred words - I did it - I am free to write and paint and do all things creative - I want a Hollow Log like Charlie.

  Sleep is on the agenda......zzzzzzzzzz

  ~~~

  ‘Wake up Oscar - wake up - you are going for a walkies. Mum is back home and she wants to go for a walkies with you.’

  Huh - me - she wants to take me for walkies?... better get ready to move out of here - oh oh- here she comes.

  ‘Come on Oscar, it is time we go for a daily walk. Just down to the end of the street I was told but I think we can go to the off-lead park together.’ Betty spoke so softly.

  Never heard her speak so softly before. On the way, Lucky happens to be at her front fence and I stand still and stare at her.

  ‘Is that your friend Oscar?’ Betty asks me....

  ‘See you later Oscar,’ Lucky says to me in a very nice way.

  ‘Mum, wait, Penny and I will catch up on our bikes. You go ahead and we will meet you at the park.’

  At the park, there are many dogs around but under the circumstances I decide to stay with Betty. She is patting my tummy and saying things, which mean nothing to me. Betty is eating Lamingtons and I am not to get one because of the chocolate.

  ‘Mum, what happened at the hospital. Dad says the doctor does not expect to see you again. He said something clicked for you and you do not have problems anymore?’ Jack said.

  ‘Jack, the doctor spoke to me instead of giving me drugs, he said and I quote – ‘Simply put - you are trying to control and manufacture your children and their future. You do not own anyone, especially your children, so be a guardian, a guide, a mentor and ally. You can answer questions and be a guide as a Mentor but because you are still working life out yourself - so shall your children work out their problems in their own life’.

  It was something else Jack - something I cannot explain - it was like something was ripped out of my body - I can't explain it - it happened - it happened at exactly 9-15 - I commented about it to the doctor and he looked and said 'even the second hand is pointing to the twelve'.

  I now feel like I did when I was young - before I had my trauma. It is as though I can paint again Jack. I am going back to painting the portraits I did. I never got into the final count at The Archibald exhibition but I could paint very good art portraits - sort of inspired from Judy Cassab; the best woman portrait artist in the world Jack. I once asked her adv
ice at a Gallery Opening - ‘paint the character you see’ - that is what she said Jack. I opened up the wardrobe door after I got home today from the hospital and her book, Portraits of Artists and Friends, fell out in front of me. I had forgotten I had it. It is a sign to paint again. ‘

  ‘Thanks mum, I have decided not to go to Brisbane. I want a little bit more in my life than cricket - yes - I still want to represent Wide Bay but I want to be a Computer Programmer for the next generation of software.’

  ‘Let's go home and kick butt Jack, have you still got the John Butler CD I gave you for your birthday last year? Maybe play it as loud as possible today. The old git next door can complain after it is finished playing.’

  ~~~

  ‘Mum, I know the track to play first - Treat your Mother With Respect - I thought of playing it last week but somehow couldn’t find the CD.’

  ‘Jack - go easy - we have a long day ahead - ring Nanna Sue and tell her of your decision - where is your dad?’

  ‘I don't know - but what about Oscar? Is he inside or outside? He is under your chair now.’

  Oh come off it Jack. I am enjoying this but what about my writing. I need a Hollow Log to write in.

  ‘General rule of thumb is - Oscar is out - and in for breakfast and lunch and dinner if he behaves and stays still. He can go out now. I want to clean the mess up in the bedroom. Escere went in and destroyed a cardboard box in the bedroom and it is a mess: cardboard and all my past in little pieces over the whole room.’

  ~~~

  ‘Oscar, you have written the five hundred words - rest now Oscar and we will be back when the moon is on the horizon.’

  ‘Ocker Oscar, the day is long, we have plans today,’ Escere idled past in her usual arrogant way. Well cats act arrogant all the time - don't they?

  ‘Escere, why is it you appear when I least expect it? I appreciate all the things you did to help me. I have things to do and it is all about resting. If you do not mind - I will speak to you another time about what it all means.’

  Escere left me and now I am able to rest my mind before this - whatever it is - if I sleep - why can't a dog just wake peacefully from a deep sleep dreaming of half a sausage roll and some burnt bacon bits? Oh well - here goes ----- zzzzzzzzzzzzz