Dead Men's Tales

We had some very sad news this morning. Bert's Aunt phoned to tell us that she'd heard that Paddy, an old family friend, had been found dead in his garden a couple of days ago, no one knew how long he'd lain there. Bert went very quiet. He'd known Paddy all his life.

A little later he was wondering what would happen to Paddy's dogs. There were at least three of them, one a quiet house dog and the other two wild, cross collies.

Pearlie is on one of her regular respite visits to the nursing home and it is up in the general direction of Paddy's house. After he'd visited with his mother and given her the unhappy news of the old fellow's demise he decided to drive past Paddy's isolated home to see if his dogs were O.K. He found the front door lying open and gingerly, in case the cross dogs were loose, he entered the house. And there was Paddy sitting in front of a roaring fire enjoying a cigarette! Reports of his death were very exaggerated.

Paddy told Bert this tale. A few nights back the house dog wakened him with a gentle yip. He crept out of bed and peeked out the window. There were three intruders lurking about outside. He pulled on his trousers, slipped out and loosened the shed door where the wild dogs slept. Then he slipped back into the house and stood at a window to watch the proceedings. He told Bert he'd never ever seen boys move as fast and that the yelps of them were shocking. He said he doesn't expect the would-be burglars back any time soon.