Along came Joey

 With so many wonderful responses to Joey going over the zoomie bridge, I wanted to share the book I began writing about him. 

Unfortunately, I can't find the last file I wrote, so my search will continue.

This is where Joey and I began our friendship.

Along Came Joey 

The following story is based on true events and retold with the words of
both owner and dog 

Mid-life crisis?
Maybe, but I was past mid-life.
What I did know was that my life was devoid of love and affection: I had been single too long. After much thought and consideration, I felt the time was right to have a dog in my life again and decided to search for a rescue dog,
but he found me. 

Little did I realise how it would affect my life. 

Chapter 1 

There were people everywhere.
All above me: ignoring me.
They were around Dad’s bed.
He was being taken, not roughly and he wasn’t protesting. But he couldn’t. 

I needed to stop them.
But I was too small.
I was picked up; I kicked and I bit.
I quietened as the other people left.
I looked at the bed. There was a dent where he had been. A warm spot I would sometimes curl into, smell his scent, relax and fall back to sleep until I was called for breakfast. I tried to scramble free to get to that spot, to feel warm and safe. But I was held close and taken from the room.
I cried. 

*** 

I shivered and curled up tighter: it was minus two degrees and I was not in my comfy bed. I wasn’t even in my house.
Or with my family.
I was in a cell. 

Concrete walls and floors that stank of disinfectant and there was a warm breeze from somewhere.
It was dark. I heard others breathing but no one was there with me. I curled up on my bedding; at least this was mine. It smelled of Dad and helped me relax. 

I heard activity. Footsteps came along the passageway and I blinked as the winter sun came through the bars on the windows. The latch was lifted on my cell. I edged back into the corner frightened of what was to come. Two bowls were placed before me. My nose twitched: biscuits and water. The rosy cheeked girl who had brought them in ruffled my fur, smiled and left; onto the next. I edged my way towards the bowls sniffing the air before them. It smelled good and I took a small mouthful. I was not really hungry as I felt sad more than anything. But I ate a little before I curled back into the corner on my bed and tucked my nose under my leg and cried quietly. 

The daily routine was the same. The nice girls came in and fed me; they were always smiling and always gave me a cuddle and spoke to me in comforting tones. I didn’t understand what they were saying but they were kind.
They were nice but I didn’t like being there and I missed my Dad, where was he? The rosy cheeked girl clipped a lead on me and took me down the corridor past other cells and led 

me into the grassy paddock. My nose twitched and my tail gave a slight wag. I could smell other dogs, horses and, I twitched again, cats! I wandered around sniffing here and there and marking the territory. There was an old boy in the corner, an Alsatian. His fur was dull and in clumps, he was very old indeed. When he got up to walk, he limped from stiffness in his back legs. He was almost blind so sensed his way around the paddock but he had been there that long that he rarely bumped into anything. He moved from corner to corner changing the blurred view in front of him from sheep to cars in the car park. This was his home and he would spend his last days there. We sniffed each other with respect and I left him alone. 

‘Rosy Cheeks’ called my name and I glanced at her. She had a lead in her hand but I continued to sniff around. She called me again, leant forward and patted her knees. I only responded to Dad so I ignored her. She walked over and gently lowered the loop over my head and slid up the toggle, ruffled my head and gave a gentle tug on the lead. Walkies. We were out in the countryside; I was not used to all the smells. I came from a town, a busy place of cars and people, here smelled different, I especially liked the horse pooh and the way it clung to my long coat and for some reason I found that quite comforting. We trudged around the muddy field, my little paws picked their way in the ruts whilst Rosy Cheeks squelched in the mud, sometimes giggling as she got stuck and had to tug her welly out. She talked to me all the time and even sang. I pretended not to take any notice; I just sniffed, scratched at the earth and peed.
When we got back to the cells she sprayed some water on my legs, towelled me dry and brushed my coat. I didn’t like being brushed but I let her do it. The less fuss I made, the sooner I went home. 

Chapter 2 

‘Blooming phone when I’m trying to draw!’ I looked at the caller, Jayne my neighbour. ‘Hi Hun, are you still interested in a dog?’
‘Er, yes course. Why?’
‘Think we’ve found you one. Come to the pub and we’ll take you over to see him.’ 

The phone went dead. I did that daft thing and looked at it, then down at myself: PJ bottoms and a sweatshirt. Well it was Sunday, but now I had better get dressed. The drawing of a Jack Russell would wait until later.
On the 10-minute drive I wondered what sort of dog they had found and as I wormed my way through the pub Jayne’s three Border Terriers caught sight of me and yapped excitedly. A glass of wine was thrust into my hand and a stool vacated for me to sit down. 3 wet noses wanted my attention before anything else. I scratched their heads and asked Jayne about the dog. 

‘Oh it’s so sweet. It’s a Cocker Spaniel crossed with a Sheltie, ever so friendly and it’s up at the kennels.’
‘Long haired?’
Jayne put her hand on my arm, ‘I know you didn’t want long haired but wait until you see him, he’s gorgeous.’ I raised an eyebrow, she knew I was a tough nut to crack but also that I was a softie where dogs were concerned. ‘He’s 10 years old and his owner died suddenly. The son had no time for a dog so dropped him into the kennels hoping to find a home rather than take him to a sanctuary.’ 

I sipped on my drink and wondered what the heck I was doing. I knew having a dog again would change my life completely. I would be responsible for a living, demanding thing and 

I still wasn’t sure I was ready for that again. But, I’d been single for 8 years and there was a gaping hole in my life. My home was devoid of life and love. No man had as yet, come into my life for more than a blink of an eye and I was sadly, very lonely. With a dog around I would have a purpose to my days but was I too set in my ways, there was only one way to find out. 

We left the pub for the kennels and more Border Terriers ran in and out of my legs. A white cat scowled as it walked past and headed for the warmth of my bonnet. In a paddock of muddy grass, I saw a very old Alsatian with the glazed eyes of the blind; his nose twitched as he scented the air. I put my hand to the fence and he nuzzled it. A girl came from the kennels with what looked like a miniature border collie and headed towards us. ‘This is Joey.’ 

I knelt down to say hello; he seemed disinterested. His coat was very long, almost touching the floor. He sniffed at me and I reached out to fuss him. He looked a little tubby but my hand sank into a very thick coat of fur: he was a very small chap indeed underneath it all, standing about 12” high to his shoulder. She gave me the lead and we headed off for a little walk around the field. We plodded in mutual silence, Joey never looked up once. I cut off the top of the field and headed across the tractor tracks to the opposite side, Joey still carefully placing his feet in the tracks but not bothering if there was a puddle in the way, he just plodded straight through it. He seemed such a sad little chap, could I really not give him a home? 

A week later I returned. Joey was in the paddock sitting in the opposite corner to the Alsatian, I got out of the car and he jumped up the fence, was he pleased to see me? I’m sure I saw a slight wag of the tail. I had a new collar and lead. This little boy was coming home with me. 

Chapter 3 

I heard a car, who was coming today, was it Dad? I looked across from the paddock, it was That Lady again and she was laughing with the big man who locked us up at night. She had something in her hand, I put my paws up the fence for a closer look; it was a new collar and lead. Rosy Cheeks came into the paddock and called me. New Lady had given her the collar and lead: they were for me! It had been a long time since I had a new collar and this one was bright red. Rosy Cheeks led me towards the New Lady and said goodbye with a big hug then New Lady picked me up and fussed me. She was warm and soft and was scratching behind my ears; ooh I liked that. Then she put me on the seat in her car. She shook hands with the big man and got in the car too, we were leaving. I barked. 

I barked at the trees as we passed. I barked at the horses.
I barked and I barked.
Where were we going? 

I was scared and tried to get onto her lap but she pushed me back muttering something about ‘driving’. We stopped but I carried on barking. She opened the door and encouraged me out. Grass, bushes, pee. In through a door. Carpet under my feet. I hadn’t felt carpet for weeks, I sniffed it. She took my lead off and talked to me as I sniffed the couch, then the table. I didn’t know what she was saying but she was smiling. I was rooted to the spot listening: was Dad here? She put a bowl of water down and I drank as she opened another door. The smell of fresh air flooded in and it was the fresh air I was use to of coal smoke, cars and people. Then I smelled something else and edged towards the 

door. My nose rose in the air and my heart beat faster...cats! But I didn’t want to go into a cold cell again and this could be a trap, should I go out? She walked ahead of me and I slowly followed. I sniffed around not far from the door, peed and then ran back inside. She laughed. I waited until the door was shut before I drank again. I didn’t know where I was or what was happening but I felt ok here. Maybe Dad would turn up later. 

I jumped onto the chair and felt the fluffy cushion under my feet and curled up to wait. 

Chapter 4 

I sat and watched him as he slept. He had hardly moved since we came home. I assumed he was unsettled so didn’t worry about it but I was finding it hard to watch TV and relax. He was curled in such a tight ball on the chair that you couldn’t see where he started or ended, just a bundle of long fur, asleep but tense, the poor thing, he had been through a lot the last few weeks and must have been confused. 

I carried on my normal chores around the house like he wasn’t there, he watched every move but stayed curled up tight. I sat down with my dinner on a tray; he raised his head, stretched, sniffed the air then curled back up again. A dog not interested in human food? There was a first. 

He watched as I put on my shoes and picked up his lead; he started to move then stopped. I had no idea what he must be thinking but I knew he needed to stretch his legs. I clipped the lead on and led him round the block allowing him to sniff and pee. Back home I put his dinner down, he ate some then curled up in the same spot on the chair, his eyes peered at me. Before long he was sound asleep, I hope he felt safe now. He started to snore, then stretched and his legs and twitched; was he chasing something? Then quiet for a short while then his paws twitched again and he was crying. Cries like I’d never heard from a dog, like a kitten mewing for its mother. His eyelids flickered, what dream was the poor boy having, I didn’t know whether to wake him or let him be. The crying and twitching continued and I felt tears in my eyes too. I gently called his name. Slowly the cries died and the twitches stopped. He lifted his head as he opened his eyes. He blinked then sat bolt upright looking around. A look of fear from waking from a sleep so deep that he didn’t 

know where he was. I gently called his name again but still allowed him space to settle before going across to him and gathering him up for a cuddle. 

Chapter 5 

A soft bed; warm and cosy. I stayed on the chair until she was asleep then I crept upstairs and quietly jumped up onto the bottom corner of the bed, I doubted she knew I was there. A hand reached down and ruffled my fur, phew; it was ok to be here. I stretched and made my way up the quilt to her end and looked at her. She looked normal enough and she had let me get on her bed. It was better than those cold cells. Her hand reached out,ooh and she was doing that thing with my ears again, it was heavenly. 

OMG, I need to pee! I jumped off the bed. Where do I go, where do I go? Stairs, stairs downstairs and there must be a door, which door, OMG I need to pee! OPEN THE DOOR! Panic, I didn’t know where to go. In the cell there was just the space I was in unless we were in the yard. I heard her come running down the stairs. She saw the panic in my eyes as I stood by the front door then called me to another door. Without thought I dived out, down the steps and sniffed the fresh air and relax. Oh that feeling when... pure ecstasy and I scuffed the grass in delight. She stood there looking at me, I looked back with indifference; I wanted another pee. I explored the garden with some interest. We had one of these at Dad’s but it was much nicer. Dad cut the grass and stuff and there were lots of flowers that smelled really sweet that I got told off if I walked on. Then there were flutterby things that I watched but they were too high to catch. Black and yellow buzzing things zigzagging around from one flower to the next. I didn’t try to catch those, they hurt. I managed to get one once and after it stopped buzzing in my mouth it stuck something into me that made my nose scrunch up and my tongue scrape against my teeth. No, those little beggars could be left alone. 

Here was nowhere near as nice but it was exciting. Brambly hedges and droopy trees that I could swish the branches of as I walk under and some tiny gaps under the fence. I poked my nose in and discovered another nose. Yap, yap! I stepped back in shock; that wasn’t me, who was it? I poked my nose in again and the same little black nose was there, then he moved and another took his place. Yap, yap. I wagged my tail and tried to squeeze my head through to see the wet black noses again but I felt a pair of hands around my middle; it was her. She picked me up and talked to someone the other side of the fence. I looked down to see that the gap was now black. He had blocked it off; bugger. 

Lead on we headed out the door and the lights of the car flashed as she unlocked it. Oh no, was she taking me back to the cells? ‘Please don’t take me back to the cells. I trusted you! I barked, please no, don’t do it!’ I barked and I barked. I tried to put my paw on her shoulder but I couldn’t reach as I was in a harness so I continued to bark. We were in the car a long time until we stopped. It wasn’t the cells but it was another building. Where were we now? She was talking; she said it was somewhere called work? 

She shut the door and unclipped my lead. I went exploring the nooks and crannies whilst she went into the kitchen. Food and water were put down for me and as I went into her office there was a big soft bed on the floor. Was there another dog? I sniffed it warily. No, it was brand new, it must be for me. I nibbled at my food and lay on the bed, scratching it all into place and fell asleep. 

She was calling me again. I struggled to open my eyes, I just wanted to sleep and every time I woke up I feared I was in the cells again. She dangled the lead in front of me. My tail thumped on the bed and I look at it, ‘I didn’t say you could wag tail, behave!’ A new place and a new walk. This outside smelled different too; lots of oil and metal, wood and fumes from chimneys belching smoke. This work place was strange, and then I saw it: fox. 

There was a bloody fox. And it was daylight. ‘This is my walk down here mate, what are you doing? Quit scavenging on my patch. Go on, get lost.’
The little bugger. He was ambling across the yard like he owned it. He hadn’t seen me, he hadn’t even scented me. This Scragg-end of a town fox in its brindle coat wasn’t even taking any notice of the workmen on their cigarette break. I pulled towards him, but she wasn’t having it. Damn. I wanted that fox.

I followed his scent down the track, weaving this way and that. She wasn’t amused. Where had he come from?
Where was he going?
All the way around the block I was thinking of that fox. I’d lost his scent. Damn. 

‘JOEY!’
Yeah, yeah, I can hear you but I needed to see. I’d slipped the lead as we got back to work. 

FOX. FOX. FOX. FOX. Come on foxy, where did you go. Nose down, I was off! 

‘JOEY!’
I took no notice, I was fine, I knew what I was doing. I.
Want.
That. 

Fox.
She was coming. I sidestepped into the gates. Least she wasn’t running.
I heard the gates close. But she couldn’t see me. She was still calling.
The scent was gone. The fox was gone. Damn. Another day I’d get him. I ambled along the units as if it was normal. Knowing I was going to get a roasting. But she wasn’t shouting, why not?
I stood still why she slipped the lead on and we ambled back to work. Not a word spoken but I heard her mumbling; it sounded like ‘you little shit.’
When I got back to my bed I had dreams of that scraggy runt of a fox, I chased it around the yard, in and out of units telling it to get off my land, off my dog walk. What spoils are on that patch are mine Mr Fox so don’t come back. Tomorrow I would see if I could get him again. 

Chapter 6 

‘JOEY!’
The second I had slackened the lead after we had got back to work the little beggar had slipped his head out and turned tail and ran. Fear and panic ran through my bones and I wanted to be sick. I left the door wide open and begun to run after him, would he turn left, or right? Right was the way we had come and left was to the main road. Please Joey turn right, I didn’t want to hear squeals of brakes. Right. He turned right. I stopped running and tried to calm myself. Deep breathes, he was after that fox. I caught sight of his black tail with the white tip as he paused to have a pee. He was barely 20 paces ahead of me. I called him, trying to keep the panic from my voice but he was off again: nose to the ground following the scent of the fox. Don’t panic, he would sense it. Don’t shout, he would think had done wrong and run faster and further. What was I doing putting myself through the possibility of losing him within 24 hours of having him?
‘JOOEEEEEEEEY.’
I had lost sight of him.
‘Come on boy, let’s go home and get some treats.’ I looked left and right and I couldn’t see him. But I saw the fox, it appeared on my right from around the back of a factory. We looked at each other, only separated by a chain link fence. He blinked, turned tail and slunk off with an abandoned piece of Kentucky Fried chicken. I prayed Joey didn’t pick up on his scent as he was heading back through an estate I couldn’t get into.
I called again. The fox was inside a gated area so I assumed Joey had gone in there too. I pulled both gates shut, yes there was enough gap underneath for him to have got under but it would, I hope, have delayed him and slowed him down if he tried to run past me. My 

heart was settling back to normal as I scanned the open space, ‘Joeeey’. I saw a flash of white go past a skip at the bottom of the yard. I had no idea if there was an exit that way but hoped not; I waited. His nose came around the bottom unit and he was nose down to the ground again, then up in the air. He stopped when he saw me and defiantly cocked his leg up a drain pipe. There was a bunch of guys on a fag break watching him too. They hadn’t seen me and thankfully they didn’t try to scare Joey off. He was coming towards me at a leisurely pace. I loosened the loop of the lead and crouched down. He didn’t even try to dodge past me but just stood slightly past arms length waiting for the lead to go on. “You little shit Joey, you scared the life out of me.” We walked back to work, past neighbouring units all busy with their own life, unaware of the drama that had just occurred in mine. It would be me that had nightmares that night, that’s for sure. 

Chapter 7 

It was nearly the end of my second week with She-mom and I suppose it was kind of ok. But oh no, we were in the car again. Where were we going today? I couldn’t help but feel scared every time we got in the car. I wasn’t use to cars and I was still scared of going back to the cells. I hated it there; it was just horrid. Surely after that lovely lie in, we weren’t going to work again? I whined, straight into She-mom’s ear. 

But we had stopped already and we had only gone down the road. Leaving the car, we walked past a place smelling of sausages and bacon cooking, I wanted to go in there. Then there was a place that I could smell lots of dogs and cats, She-mom said it was the V E T S. Then I could hear high pitched squawks from birds. I heard Aunty Laura being mentioned and the noise was getting louder. Aunty Laura has a shop and as She-mom pushed the door a bell clanged. A lot of noise was coming from within; squawks, squeaks, squeals: a tinkle of bells and voices. All sorts of voices. And smells. 

Oh what smells! My nose twitched in delight. I raised my nose and sniffed. I could scent ... I twitched again, straw, that was it; straw. A high-pitched squawk made me wince as a beady eye watched me enter. Nose down I followed the scent of the straw, I ignored She- mom and all the other humans. I bumped noses with a bit of wood, then a mesh and, oh hello a pink twitchy nose and whiskers and fluffy fur. But not a dog, not like me, no. His nose twitched again; oops no, he is a she; she bopped me on the nose through the mesh for being so nosy. Humph, I moon-walked backwards, affronted. I was excited by this, what was that creature? Dogs I knew, cats I knew, I think I grew up with them but I couldn’t remember. Foxes I knew, they smelled awful and they sprayed on my garden. My 

garden, how dared they? But what was this fluffy thing who challenged me? I slid forward paratrooper style on my belly. Low down I was sure she couldn’t see me so I would have the advantage. I reached the wood and raised my nose to the mesh...boff! She got me again. I skittered backwards and I quivered in excitement and barked. Then a little squeak like two balloons rubbing together. My head snapped to the right and the next bit of mesh...a russet and white face with a twitchy nose...who was this little chap? Commando crawl again, I approached the mesh. Boff, it was another boffy thing but it missed me, ha, I was wise to your boffy mate over there, you’re not going to get me again! There was a lot of these boffy things at ground level and I got a look at all of them: long eared fluffy ones, brown ones, white ones with cute long lashes. Baby ones, adult ones and even a pair in a cage that are...oh... I think they were... I turned away. Aunty Laura was talking to She-mom and I could smell something on this bag. I sniff...ooooh straw, I raised my leg and peed. This place was heaven; I wanted a boffy thing to play with. Aunty Laura bent down to cuddle me. She was nice. She was smiley and smelt of dogs. She needed to have kisses and I gave her lots. 

We left Aunty Laura’s loaded with goodies, lots of chewy treats, squeaky toys and a fluffy bunny that looks just like the boffy things in the cages. I liked it there She-mom. 

We got back to the house and She-mom wrinkled her nose and proclaimed ‘what’s that smell?’ It was, I admit a very unpleasant smell and I knew what it was but I was keeping quiet. I had the feeling I might just be in the dog house or worse still, be sent back to the cell. 

She had been sitting with her feet up and trying to identify the smell for days but couldn’t work out what it was or where it was coming from. She’d checked the fridge and wiped it out with disinfectant. It wasn’t that. She’d emptied the outside bin and disinfected that too. Shut the back windows in case it was drifting in from somewhere, but every time we came into the house she could smell it. Then, just as we were off to bed she dropped to the floor sniffing like a blood hound. Uh oh, my number was up as she neared the far end of the couch. ‘Joey!’ I cowered, she’d found it. I couldn’t look and hid behind the chair. She was wiping her hand on the edge of the couch and the carpet her hand was wet. She sniffed it and her nose wrinkled. I didn’t think puppy eyes would work at this point. Copious amounts of kitchen towel flowed from her hands like a white bouquet as she dropped it on the spot where I had peed. She mumbled something again but I kept well away.

All she did was look at me with those eyes. Not the lovey-dovey ‘you are my best boy’ eyes, but the slightly kooky ‘Hellraiser’ ones.