We'll Never Forget You

It has been a long time since I've had a close neighbour and I've enjoyed that. Although it's not that isolated here; there is a small estate on the far side of the road and about six other houses dotted around. But the yard is private - or so I thought.

Before the house was built this property consisted of a rough lane leading to a derelict house. Some people living nearby would have used the lane for walking their dogs. While the house was being built a young fellow in his early twenties approached Bert to ask a favour. He told Bert that his dog had just died and asked if he could bury it near the old house as his dog had always enjoyed running about there. The following day Bert showed me where the young man had buried his dog. A piece of wood had been placed on the little grave and it was marked with the letters WNFY. We puzzled about this for a while but ended up deciding that the letters stood for We'll Never Forget You.

But that wasn't the end of the dogs and their walkers. Once when I was taking an early morning shower I realised I'd left my shampoo in the car. I grabbed the smallest towel in the world and partially wrapped myself in it. The combination of a small towel and my voluptuousness (or rotundity) did not make for a modest appearance but no matter - I was alone and the car was just outside the door. I ran out, opened the car and grabbed my shampoo. It was then I noticed movement to my left. The movement was from a small Jack Russell terrier. There was no movement from his owner. She stood there transfixed with shock. She'd a bit of a cheek bringing her dog up to our yard for his morning shite but the sight of dripping, naked Nelly put her off that notion for good.

When we move I'm going to have to get used to having a neighbour again as Bert's mother will be living close by in her all mod-cons mobile home. I've said to Bert that I'll be calling her 'the trailer trash next door.'