OK so if you've read the previous post and it has upset you in some way I apologise deeply. Somethings have been held in too long and this blog is my way of expressing myself. The last post was hard, but there's one main story missing and I'm still yet to come to terms with it, I may not ever be ready but I feel most deeply that my little man deserved to have a memorial all his own.
At 6 years old imagination can get the best of you, which is why we checked our cupboards before bed and every other wacky thing we asked mum and dad to do for us. Of course when it came to this story my parents had actually thought I'd gone loopy.
The walk to school.
Everyday of primary school when i was that age where possible Id walk to school with mum, sometimes mum would allow me to walk to the top of my street and wait for her.
That day was unlike any other.
That day was unlike any other.
The distance between my letter box to the top of the street is a length of fence. Usually I would run to the top of the street and back a few times waiting for mum, but this day I walked carefully past the bushes out the front of my house, slowly up to the fence and there was a bark. Now by this time I believed my parents were finally right, my imagination was running wild! Our neighbour's had long since moved out, so the bark came from somewhere else. Still I found a gap in the fence and peered inside, all I saw was grass. I must have just wanted to hear that sound so bad it just popped into my head.
A nose through the gap.
I wasn't imagining it. What I heard was correct I knew it, but by the time mum had reached the fence line there was no sign of it.
Mum didn't believe me. She thought I might've been dawdling to go to school so off we walked, in reaching the school grounds mum couldn't wait to see the back of me I'd carried on the whole way to school about the dog in the yard.
All day I thought of nothing but the dog that I had imagined up and was now real in my eyes. So at the end of the day mum copped it the whole way home too... Dad was not having a bar of it, and he was going to prove it.
Our property and our neighbour's shared a bypass gate, dad knew that no one was living there and was determined to prove that I was driving my parents up the wall for no good reason. It was then that he spotted something running behind some trees.
First some legs, then a chest, a nose and two brown eyes could be seen poking through the branches, but they disappeared quicker than they first appeared if dad moved in any way. Dad was a bit in shock by this point because I was in fact right and worse still the dog staring at him through the trees didn't look like most dogs.
Out of dog food.
A 6 year old will run straight to their favourite food before they think of the dogs. Good thing I could reach the biscuit jar then ;)
Rocking my inner Hansel and Gretal I started leaving a trail of wafers each leading into our backyard, and pretty soon all our our hearts.
eventually I'd made it into our yard and I sat there for what felt like a million years, then I spotted a nose and two brown and white paws.
eventually I'd made it into our yard and I sat there for what felt like a million years, then I spotted a nose and two brown and white paws.
He wouldn't come near us, any slight movement and he'd spook so I became a statue.
This scared little dog moved up slowly, just to have a look. The biscuits were scoffed before they even hit the 10 second rule, he was hungry and not in the 'dogs are always hungry' manner. He was genuinely starving.
This scared little dog moved up slowly, just to have a look. The biscuits were scoffed before they even hit the 10 second rule, he was hungry and not in the 'dogs are always hungry' manner. He was genuinely starving.
Dad couldn't be around him, because this sweet little thing was terrified, his ears and head would droop, his back would hunch, and his tail would wrap itself between his legs. This wasn't a normal dog.
He looks like a...
Pete and I bounced names off each other some great, some terrible!
Thomas- the tank
Chocolate- brown colouring
Peter- ha ha no.
Wafer- The first thing he ate from us.
Puppy, doggy, wags- ? Why not
Then came: Toby. After Thomas the tanks friend.
Thomas- the tank
Chocolate- brown colouring
Peter- ha ha no.
Wafer- The first thing he ate from us.
Puppy, doggy, wags- ? Why not
Then came: Toby. After Thomas the tanks friend.
Nice try dad.
He had owners somewhere probably searching for him, we couldn't just keep him. They'd see a poster and come and collect him, but we can see if he's claimed after a week.
That week was the worst and the longest wait of my life.
The shy scared little dog had opened up a bit more, he'd loved chasing the tennis ball but wasn't a fan of loud noises. Possums drove him nuts and he'd bark a lot. He loved his food and had even taken over the just previously left kennel.
2 days before the week was up mum noticed the signs had come down, I don't think I've ever been so disappointed. I wanted that dog. I loved that dog.
Turns out mum and dad did too.
That week was the worst and the longest wait of my life.
The shy scared little dog had opened up a bit more, he'd loved chasing the tennis ball but wasn't a fan of loud noises. Possums drove him nuts and he'd bark a lot. He loved his food and had even taken over the just previously left kennel.
2 days before the week was up mum noticed the signs had come down, I don't think I've ever been so disappointed. I wanted that dog. I loved that dog.
Turns out mum and dad did too.
I taught him how to sit and beg. He taught me how to run my energy out. Every morning he'd be at the door waiting to play and would be mental by the rime we got home.
My first unaccompanied walk was with my dog. Just around the block, but it was Toby and Bec time. But that wouldn't be the only first.
Dad didn't check the gates when he closed them, us kids hadn't been outside on a while, if only we knew... sitting with mum in the lounge and I could hear a distinctive bark at the door. It turns out that a dog treated horribly by bad people will attach immensely to the first to show kindness. Toby went for a walk all his own, but when it came down to it he knew where home was and he wanted to make sure we knew it.
Dad didn't check the gates when he closed them, us kids hadn't been outside on a while, if only we knew... sitting with mum in the lounge and I could hear a distinctive bark at the door. It turns out that a dog treated horribly by bad people will attach immensely to the first to show kindness. Toby went for a walk all his own, but when it came down to it he knew where home was and he wanted to make sure we knew it.
I pulled Toby into the pool once, he'd paddle like crazy... up to my shoulder where he'd dig his claws in and climb as fast as he could.
He used to bolt whenever he had the chance, but would never really get far with his tiny little legs. I never stopped chasing my boy.
He used to bolt whenever he had the chance, but would never really get far with his tiny little legs. I never stopped chasing my boy.
If you got the right spot just under his ear, he'd tilt his head so far down it would touch the ground.
When he was excited about playing with his favourite toy, he'd do laps around the backyard and he'd run full pelt until his was exhausted!
Birds annoyed him. They were always landing in our backyard or on the fence, Toby was forever stalking, barking and chasing after them.
Possums were worse. Once darkness hit a family of four or five would climb down the trees and run across our backyard, or along the fence line making a horrible racket! He'd watch them, maybe chase them off if they got too close... But if they started creepily hissing? Now that would start up Toby, who'd start up the dog living two doors down, soon the whole street would be barking.
Possums were worse. Once darkness hit a family of four or five would climb down the trees and run across our backyard, or along the fence line making a horrible racket! He'd watch them, maybe chase them off if they got too close... But if they started creepily hissing? Now that would start up Toby, who'd start up the dog living two doors down, soon the whole street would be barking.
The weirdest thing about my boy? He'd bark like mad when someone was over, but would wag his tail and let you pat him, while still barking at you.
Very early on though we worked out that males except dad and Pete were not Toby's favourite, but even then if dad or Pete happened to walk behind him or be holding junk mail or the paper Toby would lose it.
We also figured out that if someone came over and smelled like cigarettes, the barking and cowering would worsen.
We also figured out that if someone came over and smelled like cigarettes, the barking and cowering would worsen.
Someone had intentionally dumped Toby in our neighbour's backyard. Worse yet someone had intentionally and maliciously abused our Toby, our sweet natured, always forgiving, happy go lucky Toby.
To this day they still haven't come to claim 'their' dog, which means that they can't be held accountable. Truth of the matter if they had turned up at my house to get their dog back, they probably wouldn't be here anyway to be punished.
To this day they still haven't come to claim 'their' dog, which means that they can't be held accountable. Truth of the matter if they had turned up at my house to get their dog back, they probably wouldn't be here anyway to be punished.
I am protective of my animals and those of my friends and family because of this exact reason. I don't want any animal to be treated badly, and my family and friends feel the same way. We all adore our pets and will do everything to keep them from harm.
This was not the end. Unfortunately I have to take a break for emotional reasons.
XX
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