Dog Trouble!

‘Kate!’ There was no mistake. Greg was waving urgently at me and then broke into a run.
‘Curses,’ I said to Suzie. ‘What on earth does he want?’
Greg panted to a stop beside me while Chloe slobbered cheerfully over Darcy and Fairfax.
‘What is it?’ I asked, icily.
It was as if he was wearing a tog 50 duvet. My sub-zero vibes had no impact whatsoever. But then I understood why.
‘Kate, Biggles has fallen down some sort of storm drain and I can’t get him out,’ he gasped. ‘He’s howling away down there and I can hear gurgling. I don’t know if he’s in the water or what – and I left my phone at home. I was going to stop someone – and then I saw you and…’
He stopped. Suddenly he couldn’t say any more. I could see the panic in his eyes. Mr ‘I’m so cool’ was in complete melt-down – he was battling back tears of real fear.
I put one hand on his forearm.
‘It’s all right, Greg,’ I said, rather as I might to one of my little sisters. ‘You need to ring the fire-brigade. They’ll know what to do. But you need to calm down and explain exactly where this drain is.’
Then I got out my phone, dialled 999 and handed it to him.
Greg rolled his shoulders back and took a deep breath. ‘Hello?’ he started. ‘Hello? Yes, the fire service, please…’
I turned to Suzie while he explained.
‘Is it OK if we go with him to this drain?’ I said. ‘I don’t think we should just leave him. I’m really sorry.’
Suzie nodded vigorously. ‘Of course,’ she said. ‘I won’t be able to think of anything else until I know Biggles is OK.’ She looked at me anxiously. ‘Do you think he will be?’
I hadn’t dared think about that. It’s best not to let your mind wander to worst case scenarios when you’re in a crisis – it doesn’t help!
‘Only one way to find out,’ I said. Greg handed my phone back. ‘Come on,’ I said. ‘We’d better run.’
‘You’re coming with me?’ Greg looked startled.
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘Maybe we can get him out ourselves. Just move!’

The drain was below the exercise trail, slightly obscured by grass – but I was still surprised I’d never come across it before. I’ve been that way so many times.
‘The cover’s off,’ said Greg, seeing the question on my face. ‘Vandals, maybe? I don’t know. Anyway – Biggles fell in – he maybe smelt a rat or something.’
We peered down the hole. It was dank and dark and you couldn’t see the bottom. There was no sound except the gurgling of water.
‘Biggles? Biggles?’ Greg shouted. In reply, there was a mournful bark, but it sounded tired and faint, not the sort of sound you expect from a big dog like a Newfoundland.
Greg called again. Again the faint bark. Fairfax, Darcy and Chloe were frantic. It was hard to stop them throwing themselves down the hole after Biggles
‘Maybe one of us should go to the park gates,’ I panted, battling to hold the dogs back. ‘You can drive down here – but it’s not obvious which way to come. And maybe we should tie these dogs up.’
‘I wish they’d shut up,’ said Greg. ‘I can’t hear Biggles for them barking.’
‘I’ll go to the gates,’ said Suzie, eagerly. ‘Shall I take one of the dogs?’
‘I doubt if they’ll go, ‘I said. ‘No – you just get down there as fast as you can, Suzie. Come on, Greg, we’ll have to tie these three up – there’s nothing we can do with them leaping around like this.’
‘There’s nothing we can do anyway,’ said Greg. ‘And Biggles sounds so tired.’
I looked at his white face and decided he needed to pull himself together.
‘Stop it, Greg!’ I said. ‘You’ve given up already – and the firemen haven’t even got here yet. Now help me with these dogs.’
It was as if I’d slapped him in the face. Suddenly, he was alert. He let out an angry little breath between clenched teeth. Then…
‘You’re right, Kate,’ he said. ‘I’m being pathetic.’
Moments later the dogs were tied to a push-up bar and we were back by the hole.
‘Biggles?’ Greg called.
Nothing.
‘Biggles? Biggles?’
Still nothing.
‘BIGGLES?’ Greg’s voice was desperate now.
Silence.
Greg’s eyes seemed to bulge with panic.
‘He’s drowned, Kate – he was in the water and he couldn’t stay up any longer! Kate, Kate, he’s drowned!’ He had his hands on my shoulders, his fingers gripping me in desperation. I took hold of his arms and shook him.
‘Stop panicking, Greg!’ I told him. ‘Think – this drain has to go somewhere – if maybe he’s got washed away – maybe we can…’
‘The river!’ said Greg. ‘It’ll discharge into the river!’
I didn’t argue. It seemed obvious. I was vaguely aware of a siren in the distance but there was no time to lose. We slid down the bank to the river’s edge and sure enough, a concrete pipe stuck out from the bank, water gushing from its mouth into the current.
‘There’s Biggles!’ I shouted pointing.
And there he was, his nose just breaking the surface, his paws scrabbling feebly.
I had to hold Greg back to stop him jumping in straightaway.
‘Wait!’ I shouted.
‘There’s no time!’ Greg snarled at me.
‘Then you go in with a life-belt and I’m holding the rope!’
I scrambled back up to the path; I knew there would be a life-belt nearby and, thank God, there was, only twenty or so metres away and – thank God even more – it hadn’t been vandalised.
I grabbed it, hurled myself down the bank again and more or less threw it round Greg’s neck. Quickly, he pulled it on properly, scrambled out of his trousers – his shoes and jacket and T-shirt were already off – and jumped into the river.
He’s a good swimmer and he struck out fast. The current wasn’t particularly strong and Biggles hadn’t drifted far. My worry was how I was going to hang on to the life-belt rope once Greg had hold of Biggles. He was about 70 kilos of very exhausted dog. I refused to believe that he was dead. Did Greg have any chance of rescuing him? I had to believe that he did. I prayed that he would. Some people don’t think God cares about dogs – but I don’t believe that. How could the creator of a beautiful animal like Biggles be indifferent when he was in danger? Not to mention what losing him would do to Greg! I watched, letting the rope pay out through my hands, wanting to close my eyes and open them again when it was all over but not daring to. Greg was within a metre now, his hand stretched out. Thank goodness Biggles would be wearing a collar. At least that gave Greg something to grab.
I could hear the fire engine screeching to a halt behind me but couldn’t bear to take my eyes off Greg. With a sudden lunge he was there and yes – he had hold of Biggles.
‘Got him!’ he spluttered. I could scarcely hear him. ‘He weighs a tonne!’
‘Shall I pull?’ I wasn’t sure if pulling would help. It might just mean Greg would lose his hold.
‘Just try and hang on!’ Greg shouted. ‘It’s not deep – I can stand – but I can’t drag him in – he’s just too heavy.’
Greg sounded calm and efficient. He was doing his utmost to save his dog – there was no space for panic now.
The firemen didn’t seem to need any explanations. Suddenly one was standing beside me, helping me hold the rope. Two – no, four appeared in those huge black dungarees that they use for wading.
‘Just hold on, Greg,’ shouted one. ‘We’ll have you and Biggles out shortly.’
They’re good at all that stuff, the rescue services – using your name so you feel like they really care. Susie must have told them all the details. But I think they do really care. I mean, I would if there was someone in terrible danger – I can’t see how you’d ever get used to it.
It always feels like forever when you’re waiting to find out something really important. From the moment the firemen lowered themselves into the water, I had no doubt that Greg was going to be all right. But what about Biggles? It was impossible to tell from the bank. And the firemen seemed to move as slowly as astronauts. Was Biggles dead or alive? How long before I found out?

Telling it how it is!

Very gently, I slid my hands down Chas’s arms until I was holding his wrists. I was longing to look at the floor but I knew that wasn’t fair or honest, so I toughed it out and met his eyes full-on.
‘Chas, I don’t know,’ I said. ‘I think I need to think about it. I’m pretty mixed up at the moment, actually.’
Chas nodded. He was biting his lip.
‘Me too,’ he said and I could see the white marks his teeth had made from the pressure. He was blushing now. ‘It’s not that I don’t like you, Kate – I like you loads. You’re the most important person in my life – well, maybe Mum and Dad are a bit more important but not by much. And I can’t bear it when things go wrong between us…’
I nodded. ‘It’s the same for me,’ I said.
We were holding hands now and he gripped mine firmly.
‘But the thing is…well, the thing is…well, it’s almost like you’re my sister. When I kiss you, it’s nice but…
‘It isn’t very exciting?’ I finished for him. ‘The earth doesn’t move?’ He was saying so exactly what I felt myself that my knees felt like giving way with relief.
He smiled wryly. ‘I’m sorry, Kate,’ he said. ‘Does that sound really terrible? I’m not saying you’re not hot – you are – seriously, you are. Well, you can tell that from the way other boys behave around you.’
‘Greg, you mean?’
‘Not just Greg!’ he said. ‘Haven’t you noticed the others?’
I stared at him in disbelief. ‘No, Chas, I have not!’ I said. ‘You sure you’re not imagining things?’
Chas shook his head. ‘Certainly not,’ he said. ‘Honestly, Kate – you need to be careful. You could turn into a real heart-breaker. That’s why I keep thinking there must be something wrong with me.’
‘Something wrong with you? What d’you mean?’
‘Well, I keep getting told how lucky I am and how fit my girlfriend is – and yet… I…well, I don’t…I don’t…’
He was getting so tongue-tied that I decided the kindest thing was to help him out.
‘You don’t really fancy me,’ I said. ‘That’s it, isn’t it?’
‘Yes – in fact, I even began to wonder if I was gay. Not that I’ve got a problem with that – it’s just, I’d rather not be. I mean, can you imagine telling my dad? So…well…I don’t know whether I should tell you this…’
I squeezed his hands again. ‘Go on,’ I said. ‘You might as well. Anyway, I think I can guess.’
Chas swallowed hard. ‘The thing is, I sort of tested myself.’
‘Oh yes?’ I said, barely able to keep the giggle out of my voice. ‘How?’
‘A one night stand,’ he said. ‘With this girl who’s the daughter of one of my dad’s business colleagues. She’d come with him to go pony-trekking near here and then stayed on for tea. And well – one thing led to another. You know how it goes?’
So that explained his arm round the strange blonde!
‘It’s OK,’ I said. ‘I saw you with her, actually.’
Chas was incredulous. ‘You never said anything!’
It was my turn to blush. ‘That’s because I was so naffed of with you that I snogged Greg. And that hasn’t been the only time, either.’ Now I really couldn’t resist staring at my feet.
To my relief, Chas burst out laughing.
‘What are we like?’ he said. ‘Do you want to go out with Greg then?’
‘I…’ I was about to say I didn’t know. And then I realised that wasn’t true. Because I did want to go out with Greg. He fascinated me. And I knew how it made me feel when he touched me. I wasn’t at all sure I should go out with him. He didn’t seem safe; I wasn’t sure I could trust him. And I knew there were big differences between us – for one thing, he didn’t believe in God, and I do – passionately. I have my doubts and my questions, of course, and I generally give God a hard time – but I do believe in him – and Greg doesn’t. But I felt like I just had to try things out with Greg. If I didn’t I would feel like a wimp. And I would never know what might have happened if I had.
‘Yes,’ I admitted. ‘Yes, I do want to go out with Greg. D’you think I’m mad?’
Chas shrugged. ‘Who am I to talk? I went out with Carly! And Greg’s all right. He’s a bit of a player – but I think he’s genuinely keen on you, Kate. He’s not had a girlfriend for ages. I think he’s waiting for you.’
Very gently, Chas kissed me on the forehead and then let go of my hands.
‘You’re very special, Kate,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry if I’ve messed you about.’
‘You haven’t,’ I said. ‘I think I’ve messed you about more.’
Chas shrugged. ‘Maybe we’ll still end up together one day,’ he said.
I smiled. ‘If no one else will have us,’ I said.
‘I might hold you to that,’ said Chas. ‘Now are you going to ring Greg and make him really happy?’
‘No, I’m not going to do anything about him until I’ve tried to sort out this mess with Ben and Suzie,’ I said. ‘Honestly, why they come running to me, I have no idea. I can’t even sort out my own life!’

I avoided Greg at school next day and he avoided me. It was all very well telling Chas how I felt but I hadn’t a clue how I was going to deal with the situation. It could wait, however. Greg wasn’t going anywhere. I had other things on my mind. My walk with Suzie.

When I got to the park gates with Darcy and Fairfax, (there had been no sign of Greg at this house, thank goodness), Suzie was already there, her own German Shepherd dog, sitting patiently on the pavement.
When she saw me her face lit up and my heart sank. I just hoped I wasn’t going to mess this up. Ben was relying on me and Suzie clearly had something important she wanted to discuss – with me, Little Miss Muddle herself!
The dogs covered my confusion, however, enthusiastically investigating each other in that wonderfully direct doggy way that makes human greetings look robotic.
Then, as soon as we’d let them loose and they were bounding ahead of us over towards the pond, Suzie followed their example and launched straight in.
‘I could get over what Ben told his mates,’ she said, honestly. ‘And my parents understand. They like Ben. They’d forgive him. Dad says he wishes he had a pound for every time he’d bragged about something stupid. Mum says we all learn from our mistakes. I’m dead embarrassed. But if I really care about Ben, I should stick by him. Show people I’m not bothered – that he matters enough that I’m not going to dump him just because he’s upset me.’
‘So why aren’t you?’ I said.
‘Because….’ Suzie stared into the distance. I could see that she was screwing up the courage to say what she wanted to say.
‘Go on,’ I said, gently. ‘It can’t be as bad as all that.’
‘You think?’ she said.
‘Just tell me,’ I said. ‘I’m not going to say anything to anyone else, I promise.’
At that moment, I heard my name called. And I recognised the voice. I couldn’t believe it. Bad timing or what?
I turned round irritably and, hurrying towards me, was the last person in the world that I wanted to see right then.