A memory, prompted by a podcast: I once threw my dog into a river.
I was a boy. The dog, a West Highland terrier named ‘Bimbo’ (the name came with her) joined us one miserable day in my youth. She was what Canadians call a rescue dog. Neglected. Abused. Full of mange and canker. Antibiotics and patience remedied that. I watched her go from a bald, scab-covered, starved pup at death’s door to a healthy bitch. She eventually stopped hiding in corners, and started to live again. I admired that strength of character. Still do. She taught a young boy much. She was a labour of love. I was always a sucker for the underdog.
We fell in love over a summer. As we roamed the wilderness of West Yorkshire, her aversion to deep water became clear every time we walked past a canal or river. As an honorary fish (I swam several times a week) this worried me and caused me sorrow.
I had heard that babies float and can swim by instinct. That dogs do the same, pretty much. So, in an attempt to introduce Bimbo to the joys of the more innocent watersports, I threw her in.
This was not something done lightly. I chose the spot, on the Calder river a couple of miles as the crow flies from home. This is how early I learned risk assessment. I had gauged the current and flow and exit routes and underwater hazards and… Nikki will confirm, I tend to overthink things. This is how I have survived so many things. Let’s just say I was ready to jump in and retrieve her if necessary. It wasn’t.
That dog resurfaced and paddled toward shore without hesitation. More. She loved it. I spent the next hour laughing as I threw that dog in the river time and again. By the time I (not she) got bored with this new game I was as wet as she was. And just as happy. Which helped both of us, I think.
I loved that dog. Still do. This is the only photograph I have. I remember where. I remember when. I remember who, because I was a boy without a camera. I remember the adventures we had. The joy. And I remember the end. I was not there at the end. I regret that often. A photo is sometimes all you have. Take many. Cherish them. And love your memories.