© Dawn Q. Landau
Doesn’t she realise I’m getting old. I used to love this walk when I was younger but now it’s all I can do to put one foot in front of the other. She wants her hiking badge I want my bed. The mile trek to the start of this track is enough. We’ll be half-way soon. At least then she’ll pat my head and give me a treat out of the bag on her back. I might even lie in the stream that’s there to cool down. I love lying and lapping at the same time.
Friday Fictioneers
The picture is the PHOTO PROMPT. Where does it take you? Can you tell us in a hundred words or less? Take the road less traveled if you dare!
Photo Prompt Dawn Q. Landau
About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Only you, Irene, would show compassion and care for the dog!
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That is how Zac and I walk at the moment. He just plods putting one foot in front of the other but yet he still wants to go on his walks.
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Hiking badge 🙂 I wondered about that myself. Sweet story.
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She looked as though she was wearing a girl guide uniform.
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Yes, I agree, I didn’t notice it until I wrote my piece, but you’re right!
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Great interpretation. I like this line: “She wants her hiking badge I want my bed.”
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So often although we want to be with the one we love we want different things.
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I like your take, Irene. This reminds me of the dog that used to accompany a friend of mine when we ran together. The poor dog was getting so old and stopped every minute. He really slowed us down. Finally, he didn’t come with us anymore. I hope he found a nice blanket to lay on. Great story.
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Yes, my dog is getting to that point of needing the old blanket. Thanks
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Nice. We had an old cat a while ago. Sad to see them slowly fade (as we do ourselves).
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Yes it is the inevitability of life.
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The dog should be more concerned about the well being of the lady.
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Let me assure you if a masked, or unmasked for that matter, assailant appeared the dog would pull every last shred of energy into protecting her. That is why he goes along although he’d much prefer to be on his bed sleeping.
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That’s a great picture of bliss for an old dog – a treat, a lie down near a cool stream where you don’t have to move far to get a drink. Actually I know a few humans who think that way. Nicely portrayed.
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Thanks Margaret. I have an old dog who looks like this dog and I watch what he does. Most important is that he is near you even if he has to plod.
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Dear Irene,
Alas, our pets don’t live as long as we do. Nice dog POV story. I felt his fatigue.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes it’s hard getting old. Thanks Rochelle.
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oh — poor old dog.. not a lot of energy left in those tired old bones.
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Sadly no.
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Aw, this poor pup (all sweet mannered dogs are puppies to me). I hope he got a nice, long break.
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Certainly he slept for a long time when they finally made it home. 🙂
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Aw…. I have to confess, sometimes it has made me teary-eyed to see old dogs who can barely get around anymore who I remember as pups and young hyper-active dogs. And you can tell they really want to be that same active doggy but they can’t. The end really got me, because the imagery of the water carries a feeling of death and the final rest. A heart-tugging story.
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Thank you Anne for that beautiful response. Yes you can certainly tell they still want to be the active dog they once were and they still want to do everything with you but they can’t. I love you saw the imagery at the end.
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I had a hunting dog named Elvis who still wanted to chase rabbits in his old age. I swear he would have had a hard time keeping up with a box turtle, but bless his heart, he never quit. It was fun to watch him plod along and bark every three steps.
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Elvis sounds as though he was a joy. I get a real kick out of my old boy Zac who plods along a few paces behind but the minute something stimulates him he manages a feeble attempt. He did manage to chase a duck swimming from one side of the river to the other in chase but he followed the duck who was pretending to be injured so his chicks could get away. He slept well that night. They give us great memories.
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