''I think I'm gonna take the dog for a walk"
She took a deep breath.
Although the door was closed, she could
her them arguing. Again. Always about
the same stuff......... money and who was
to be blamed for not bringing in enough.
Should she really go inside and by doing
so having to deal with the chaos?
Just as she had decided to turn around
and walk away, the door flung open
and her dad rushed past her.
Screaming at the top of his lungs:
-Yeah, blame me, it's always my fault!
and off he went in their tired old car
leaving a trail of black, foul smelling
smoke behind.
As she dropped her school bag on the
floor and sat down to untie her boots,
her mother yelled: -Lisa? Is that you?
Come to the kitchen and help me
peel the potatoes and also, check that
your brother is okay.
As she walked to her bedroom to
get changed out of her uniform,
she could see her brother sitting on
the floor in the living room and
playing some computer game.
Changed into a pair of jeans and her
favorite hoodie, she walked into the
kitchen and sat down at the table.
She didn't feel much like talking, besides,
what was the point, her mum didn't
listen anyway. All she wanted to do
was to complain about her dad.
Armed with their potato peeler
she grabbed a large potato and
silently started to peel it.
-What's wrong with you Lisa? Why are
you so quiet? asked her mother.
Though tempted to tell her mum
about the incident that she had
experienced earlier that day, she
knew it was futile. With the radio on,
the noises from the game her brother
was playing and her mum's complaining,
there just wasn't any space for her to inject
any of her thoughts or experiences.
-Nothing's wrong mum, she said and kept
peeling.
-Okay then. Listen, when you've finished
the peeling go out and get the clothes
off the line. I think it's gonna rain.
Lisa confirmed the request by nodding.
A few minutes later she grabbed the washing
basket and walked out the back door
to the washing line.
As she put the basket on the ground,
Snoopy, their always effervescent little
mutt came darting as out of nowhere
and ran circles around her.
-Hey, Snoopy, having a good day today?
she said and lifted him off the ground
and into her arms.
Snoopy answered by licking her face
and looking her straight in the eyes.
As he kept licking her and looking deep
in to her eyes, she started to ponder
if perhaps he could be a good listener.
Maybe she could tell him about the
incident?
She brought in the washing basket
and put it on the floor in the living room
next to her mother's ironing board.
-Set the table please, Lisa, her mother
bellowed from the kitchen.
-For how many? Lisa asked.
-Three, your father has gone out.
She wanted to ask her mum where
her dad went when he went ''out'' but
she knew that that would lead to all sorts
of trouble and she had already had enough
of that.
The three of them ate their food
with a minimum of words being
exchanged.
Nor was there much talking when they
cleared the table or did the dishes.
Her brother went back to his game,
her mother started to do the ironing
and Lisa decided to take Snoopy
for a walk.
She put Snoopy on a leash, herself
in a jacket and then called out to
her mum: -I think I'm gonna take
the dog for a walk.
-Okay, Lisa.
-Let's take the nice walk through the
woods, Snoopy, she said as they started
to walk.
Snoopy excitedly kept sniffing everything,
stopping at almost every tree but
somehow, the dog's joy became infectious
and she found that she felt a little lighter.
In the middle of the woods somebody
had placed a sort of wooden bench.
She decided to sit down for a moment
and just enjoy the stillness, the fragrances,
the beauty of the light making its way through
the trees but especially, to enjoy the company of
her very faithful and joyful companion; Snoopy.
After running back and forth, here and
there, Snoopy suddenly stopped and
jumped up on the bench next to her
and put his head in her lap.
Stroking Snoopy gently on his head
she decided to tell him about the incident.
She had been right.
He was a very good listener.
''No one appreciates the very special genius
of your conversation as the dog does.''
(Christopher Morley)
about the image: acrylic on large landscape
shaped canvas
