Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
Only a somewhat tenuous link to a Labrador here, but still a tale worth telling:
Many years ago, when Trevor and I were first together he told me about a washing machine fire that he was called out to. The father of the family was a massive Serbian man who thought the fire was his wife's fault and was shouting at her. The rest of the family consisted of five daughters, the youngest of whom looked about the same age as Trevor's younger daughter, Melanie (6 years old). She was obviously frightened and sobbing her heart out, but the rest of the family seemed oblivious to this. Trevor sat her on his knee and dried her tears. He told her that the fire wasn't anyone's fault and that they were going to explain that to her Daddy so that he would stop shouting at her Mummy. The reason he was telling me this was to illustrate how times had changed, in that there was no way that it would now be acceptable to sit a stranger's six year old daughter on your lap but that when the incident had happened it seemed the most natural thing to do, to comfort a child.
Several years went by and a new young couple started coming into the pub. We knew everyone there (it was very much a 'local') and they knew no-one. They started to make a fuss of Barley, our yellow Lab, and gradually we got to know them and to like them very much despite quite an age difference. Their names were Jason and Sofija (pronounced Sofia). Eventually we started going to each others' homes for meals and we were introduced to Jason's Mother and Step father, who we also got on very well with. We also introduced them to the joys of camping, and would go away together a couple of times each summer.
Fast forward a few more years. Friday night in the pub with the usual crowd. Sofija and I were in conversation with a friend whose daughter's washing machine had caught fire during the week. Sofija said 'We had a washing machine fire once when I was six. It was so frightening. My dad was yelling at my mum because he thought it was her fault. I couldn't stop crying. There was a tall fireman in charge. He sat me on his knee and told me that the fire was no-one's fault and that they were going to explain that to my dad. I'll always remember how kind he was.' Shivers up and down my spine or what?! I also remembered that Sofija's father had been Serbian, hence the spelling of her name. I said, 'Sofija, you need to tell Trevor about that now'. She replied that Trevor was in conversation with someone else and she didn't like to interrupt. I gave her my best hard stare and said 'NOW SOFIJA!' She looked at me, then at Trevor, then back at me and said 'Oh my God!' I just said "Yes!' and then she was telling Trevor, and they were both in tears and Jason and I were in tears and the story spread around the pub and just about everyone was in tears and hugging each other and lots more rounds were bought than usual that evening! Sofija said she had always remembered the kind tall fireman and I knew that Trevor had always wondered what had happened to the little girl.
It's my birthday tomorrow and Jason and Sofija are taking me out for a meal, despite the fact that they both have work the next day. They are very dear friends who always look out for me and Joy loves them to bits.
Many years ago, when Trevor and I were first together he told me about a washing machine fire that he was called out to. The father of the family was a massive Serbian man who thought the fire was his wife's fault and was shouting at her. The rest of the family consisted of five daughters, the youngest of whom looked about the same age as Trevor's younger daughter, Melanie (6 years old). She was obviously frightened and sobbing her heart out, but the rest of the family seemed oblivious to this. Trevor sat her on his knee and dried her tears. He told her that the fire wasn't anyone's fault and that they were going to explain that to her Daddy so that he would stop shouting at her Mummy. The reason he was telling me this was to illustrate how times had changed, in that there was no way that it would now be acceptable to sit a stranger's six year old daughter on your lap but that when the incident had happened it seemed the most natural thing to do, to comfort a child.
Several years went by and a new young couple started coming into the pub. We knew everyone there (it was very much a 'local') and they knew no-one. They started to make a fuss of Barley, our yellow Lab, and gradually we got to know them and to like them very much despite quite an age difference. Their names were Jason and Sofija (pronounced Sofia). Eventually we started going to each others' homes for meals and we were introduced to Jason's Mother and Step father, who we also got on very well with. We also introduced them to the joys of camping, and would go away together a couple of times each summer.
Fast forward a few more years. Friday night in the pub with the usual crowd. Sofija and I were in conversation with a friend whose daughter's washing machine had caught fire during the week. Sofija said 'We had a washing machine fire once when I was six. It was so frightening. My dad was yelling at my mum because he thought it was her fault. I couldn't stop crying. There was a tall fireman in charge. He sat me on his knee and told me that the fire was no-one's fault and that they were going to explain that to my dad. I'll always remember how kind he was.' Shivers up and down my spine or what?! I also remembered that Sofija's father had been Serbian, hence the spelling of her name. I said, 'Sofija, you need to tell Trevor about that now'. She replied that Trevor was in conversation with someone else and she didn't like to interrupt. I gave her my best hard stare and said 'NOW SOFIJA!' She looked at me, then at Trevor, then back at me and said 'Oh my God!' I just said "Yes!' and then she was telling Trevor, and they were both in tears and Jason and I were in tears and the story spread around the pub and just about everyone was in tears and hugging each other and lots more rounds were bought than usual that evening! Sofija said she had always remembered the kind tall fireman and I knew that Trevor had always wondered what had happened to the little girl.
It's my birthday tomorrow and Jason and Sofija are taking me out for a meal, despite the fact that they both have work the next day. They are very dear friends who always look out for me and Joy loves them to bits.
