When we last left Lady Barbara, she spoke about how Sebastian would not allow Bella to get in front of her to greet the mailman. Today, the Nineteenth of December at the Oak Cafe, she added to the love story of two German Shepherds. Lady Barbara has always been interested in German Shepherds ever since she saw a farmer using the dogs to keep his sheep in line back as a kid in Highland Park.
A half-rain fell on Encinitas this morning, but far too much cold for one weighing not more than fifty pounds. Barbara wore a long fur coat for our daily lunch at the Encinitas Senior Center.
Lunch is served at eleven o'clock. At table five sit Gregorio, Abraham, Ron, Horst and of course me. I named her lady Barbara when research proved she had been related to Maud, the mother of Catherine Parr. Parr was the sixth wife of Henry the Eighth and was smart enough to "keep her head" as she told me.
All of us at table five love to listen to her dog stories. This lunch I asked her to tell another dog story. Her husband Jay, Vice President of Bechtel, also loved to raise German Shepherds.
"One day Bella did not return home. I had no idea what had happened to her. Earlier I had taken the two dogs for a walk around our two acres. . Sebastian made sure he placed his scent everywhere to remind others to keep away. Our next door neighbor owned 20 acres of a Avocado orchard. Barney fell in love with Bella.
"Bella always waited for Barney since he brought a bone or a piece of first grade meat. I had no idea what had happened to her. Why German Shepards never stray from their home, but this time she did."
"The next day I found the answer. Barney met us again like always at our fence. He told us where Bella had been. 'Barbara, you will never guess what Bella did yesterday. I had slept in and when I awoke, there was your dog with its nose perched on my bedroom window. Bella kept her eyes on me until I had climbed out of bed and given her a kiss with a bone. Then she dogged her way home.'"
In case some of you are tired of the dog story, allow me to interrupt to acquaint you with the story teller. Lady Barbara. I call her Lady Barbara because her Father's last name was McDowell. The name of Edward McDowell might mean nothing to you, but his ancestry goes back to the Greene Family. The Greene family not only had owned a good part of Northern England, but a Katherine Parr became the Sixth wife of Henry the Eighth.
She now digs in with the love story about her two German shepherds. "I will never forget when Bella passed away. She was thirteen, the average age for her breed to go to doggy heaven. My husband had fallen fast asleep in our home in La Harbra. The milkman left two bottles of milk and a quart of ice cream. Something was amiss. Bella did not greet our mailman with her friendly doggy kiss, or lick.
"I found Bella and Sebastian lying together. Sebastian sniffed and doggedly tried to awaken her. Bella did not budge. We called the vet and it took all of my might to keep Sebastian from biting him. Bella was sacked and taken away."
Sebastian would not eat-not even the prime left overs.He whined and whimpered. A few days passed and we could not find Sebastian. We circled our two acres. Billy, my youngest found him in the exact spot where Bella sat to wait for Barney. Billy ran up to me crying. At fifteen, Sebastian joined the love of his life in doggy heaven.
For those who wish to know about Barbara, you can meet her at the Encinitas Senior Center during lunch time. She bore a litter of seven children, and they are still alive. She will celebrate Christmas with her family in San Clemente.
Lady Barbara stories will last as long as kids don't forget how to read. My passion is to write her story, "Lunch Time with Lady Barbara." It is a shame we met late in life. Unlike my last girl friend, she dotes on me, plays a divine piano, and her bony legs still do the waltz.
The writer has to go now. He has a story about his number 31 tooth, recently extracted. Keep reading.
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