Hero the greyhound (Simon's Hero)

Hero the Greyhound (Chapter 17)

Simon had not stopped talking about River for over a week, he talked about him even more than train timetables and dinosaurs and although Simone had had grave doubts about encouraging her son's interest in the big, black dog with the four white socks, she could see the effect he had on her son so she decided to take him for a second visit.

"Hello there," said Christian, "welcome back to Dogs Trust, it's really good to see you again. Ooh, now then, let me guess...you'd like to come and say 'Hello' to River again." Simon was hopping from foot to foot and he squeaked "Yes please" so Christian collected the key to the double metal gates and motioned to Simon to follow him. Simone held back, not quite sure what to do. The Labradors were not in the office today so she could easily just sit and wait there for her impossibly excited son. "Jemma's taken them for a walk" explained Christian, "they came to us when their owners emigrated to Australia and we all loved them so decided they would become our very own dogs. They're a good advert for Dogs Trust because they're lovely and gentle and everyone who visits loves them. Jemma takes them home every evening and they come into work with her whenever she's on duty, they're no trouble really." "Come on Mum," said Simon "don't you want to say 'Hello' to River again? Christian says he won't make you sneeze. Come on Mum, feel the fear..." "...and do it anyway" finished Simone. She realised she was being a bit pathetic and so, Aloe Vera tissues in hand, she followed Simon and Christian through the gates and into the area where the noise of the barking would have drowned out the most allergic person's sneezing fit.

"Hello boy; hello River," said Simon, running across to the greyhound's pen. River, recognising the boy's voice, got up off his bed as quickly as his damaged legs would allow and hobbled across to the wire mesh. His big brown eyes looked up at Simon, he recognised the kind voice and remembered the lovely ear cuddles he'd had last time so he pushed his left ear as close as he could towards the mesh. Simon tickled him, as he had done on his first visit and he sighed a huge sigh; he really did like this dog and being with him made him feel as though he had 'come home' in a funny sort of way. He felt a connection with him that he'd never felt with anyone else, not even his mum.

Christian smiled at Simone and said "I think River's a hit with your boy. It's lovely to see them together, nobody has shown this much interest in him since he arrived. He's a lovely dog but we couldn't let him live in the office with us because he's an instinctive hunter, having been trained to chase from such a young age." Simone gave a watery smile, she was worried she'd done the wrong thing, allowing Simon to come back and visit the dog a second time. She was giving him the wrong signals and now, he would want to come back a third time. Who knows where it would end?

"Mum, could we take River for a walk? Please, Mum, please?" Simon looked so expectant, so hopeful and this dog clearly made him very happy so she shrugged her shoulders and said "Christian, do you think we would cope with him? He's very big, I am guessing he's quite strong too." Christian grinned and said "Jemma will be back in a tick so I'll come with you if you like. Then I can show you how to put on his muzzle and collar." "His muzzle?" Simone's eyebrows vanished up underneath her fringe, she hadn't realised the flippin' thing had to be muzzled. "Yes," said Christian, "he's an ex-racing dog and although he has injuries, his brain will instantly go into 'chase mode' if he sees a small dog or a rabbit. It's just a safety precaution, he won't mind because he was always muzzled at the race track. I'll be back in a tick."

Christian walked back to the office to check Jemma was back behind the desk. He walked over to the hooks on the wall and chose a suitable muzzle, a special greyhound collar (wider than normal as their necks are quite slim) and a strong, leather lead. Meanwhile, Simon could barely breathe. He was going to take River on a walk. He was actually going to be allowed to hold the lead all by himself. Simone had her tissues at the ready, she could almost feel a sneeze coming on, even though the dog was still in his mesh fronted kennel. Christian came back and opened the door of River's pen. The dog wagged his tail, he liked his walks. The freedom was wonderful and even though he couldn't walk too far or too quickly, the feeling of being away from his pen and his bed was amazing. Christian slipped the muzzle over his long, pointy nose and carefully did up his collar, right behind his ears, to make sure he couldn't wriggle out backwards if he saw something he wanted to chase. Christian suggested walking River himself, just until they were on the other side of the yard. It was a quiet day, only a couple of volunteers had turned up to walk the dogs but he couldn't risk one of them appearing with a Yorkie or a Westie and River going into 'hunting mode'. Simon was impatient but realised this was going to be his only option. He and his mum walked alongside River and Christian; River was so tall, he came up to Simon's waist and he couldn't wait to get his hands on the lead so he could walk along with this beautiful dog and pretend he was actually his.

Simone walked as close to River as she dared. Nothing. Not a sneeze. Yet. She watched as Christian handed Simon the leather lead and felt her heart lurch as she saw his (often serious) face, burst into a huge smile. He was in heaven, no doubt about that. This was the one thing which would make her precious son's life complete, his very own dog and for some reason, he had bonded with an enormous, rather damaged ex-racing dog. Life was very strange at times.

"Do you want to hold him Mum?" asked Simon, "he's very good, he doesn't pull at all." "Erm, no, thanks, you're OK sweetie," she said tentatively, watching her son walk this huge dog was one thing but holding the lead herself was inconceivable "anyway, you're having a lovely time with him, make the most of it." Simon's face clouded over, what did she mean by that?

They strolled around the field behind the shelter, it was a lovely sunny day and because there were no other dogs in the field, Christian took River's muzzle off. "There, that's better, isn't it boy? I know he's used to being muzzled but I imagine it must feel lovely when it's taken off." River stopped walking and gave a huge shake and Simone hid behind Christian. He laughed and said, "They do that all the time, it's a greyhound thing."

The walk was over all too soon and the three of them made their way back to the yard. Christian slipped River's muzzled back over his nose and took the lead from Simon as they approached the metal gates. "There, did you enjoy that Simon?" He could see that River and Simon were a match made in heaven but he could also see that Simon's mum was not at all comfortable around the dog. "Why don't you both come back on Saturday and we'll all take him out again?" Simon looked up at his mum, his eyes pleading with her. She sighed and said "OK then, I suppose so. If it makes you happy sweetie." "Thanks, Mum" said Simon, giving her a huge hug "you're the best mum in the whole world." Hugs from her son were rare, he didn't like being touched or touching others and so Simone knew he must be very excited about his impending third visit to see River.

They set off home; Simon found it hard to tear himself away from his new four-legged friend and felt utterly miserable as he watched Christian put River back in his pen. "He'll be fine," said Christian, "it'll be tea time soon and once he's eaten, he'll settle down for a lovely nap." Simone and Simon drove in silence. "I know what you're thinking," said Simone "and it's very early days but so far, I haven't felt a sneeze coming on. I walked quite close to him so may next time, I'll try holding the lead and we'll see what effect he has on me." Simon didn't dare respond, it might just jinx the whole thing so he kept quiet until they got indoors and then, offered to make his mum a cup of tea. "Really?" she smiled, "you never make me cups of tea. What is it you want exactly, sweetie?" He grinned and filled the kettle; his mum knew exactly what he wanted but he had no idea whether she would go with it. He decided to play things cool and not to go on and on about River all evening. It would be difficult, it was all he thought about. Even more than dinosaurs and train timetables. If his mum would let him adopt River, he would never be unhappy ever again. He just knew it.

Simon didn't usually say prayers but that night, he prayed as he had never prayed before. "Please let Mum let me have River. Please, please, please. He's so beautiful and he's so lonely and I just know he and I could be the best of friends. Amen." Simone sat, watching a soap opera, not really taking in the plot. She wondered whether she might be going mad. From saying Simon couldn't have a dog, she was now contemplating letting him have the biggest dog she'd ever seen in her life. How on earth she would feed him, she had no first clue but she knew it would make Simon very happy and that was her main mission. That and paying the bills. Adopting a huge dog would push them up even further and she sighed to herself as she walked to the kitchen, made a cup of tea and wondered how life had become so complicated.