“That’s it Gary, have a puff,” and she blows the smoke up my nose. It makes me sneeze and I shake my head and snort. Oh, I feel pleasantly odd. She laughs and I do my funny little dance and then we both feel good and the world floats away and leaves us in peace. I like spliff smoke.
*
One day, walking round the Old Town, we see a poster and Cindy reads it out to me. I wish I could read.
‘Hastings Old Town Beach Dance!’ A multi-day event will be held in two weeks’ time, at the Winkle Island, Rock-a-Nore.’
“It goes on for two nights,” she says, her eyes all of a sparkle. “Oh. I’d love to go.”
Then she saddens and regards her clothes. “But, look at me. I am such a mess. I’ve got nothing nice to wear.”
I gaze sadly at the ground.
So we wander over to Mrs Tinsdale’s cottage. I like Mrs T’s cottage, it has a nice comfortable, homely dinner smell about it. Cindy often calls on her godmother when she feels down, but a nice cup of tea, two bourbon creams and a bit of a chat always cheers her up. She tells her all about the coming dance.
“Well, I’ll just have to spend some of my escape money on a nice outfit. I can’t miss out on a do like this. I could meet a nice bloke like Tessa’s Bert.”
Having made the decision, she cheers up, slurps her tea and is all smiles again. I jump up and down and bark my encouragement.
“Hold on,” says Mrs T. “There’s no need to spend your savings, love. Tessa has lots of outfits and I’m sure she’ll be happy to lend you one.”
“Really?” Cindy bubbles with excitement. “Tessa has wonderful outfits.”
*
Well, the first day of the dance comes and Cindy, all dressed up, looks a real corker.
She laughs and gives a little twirl. “What do you think, Gary?”
Her hair is sleek and long with just enough curl and Tessa has made her dark eyes up so well, she can hypnotise. She bows to me. She’s easily the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. I bark my approval. I’m so proud to walk out with Cindy that I can’t help doing the ‘Canine Strut.’
But I have to laugh at those stepsisters, even in their expensive new outfits they look as if they belong in a field, a couple of dysmorphic heifers. If I were human, even I wouldn’t fancy them... but I would fancy Cindy. I love her anyway.
So Cindy goes to the dance and you know she walks right past those sisters and they gawk, but don’t recognise her. Talk about up their own arses. Proper amuses me.
I go to the dance too. I’ve got a date with a hotdog and there’s all manner of stalls that smell of tasty stuff on offer and I’m not gonna’ miss out on any of that. Walking around, I have a hard job not to dribble on the dancers’ feet, but most people are kind and give me lots of nice things to eat.
And then, he appears.
As soon as he arrives, I know he’s the main man, definitely a young pack leader. He rides past in a long open-top car, with fins at the back, coloured pink and cream with lots of shiny stuff and he parks it in the private road behind the Fish Market.
He steps out, tall and lean and dressed in matching clothes. He smells good too. All the girls just stare at him with their mouths open. Naturally, the sisters throw themselves at him, but Cindy ignores him. Oh, he notices her all right, standing under the streetlight with a hotdog. She only takes a small bite and then drops the rest to me. Boy was that tasty.
He saunters over and offers Cindy a paper napkin to wipe her fingers. “Hi, I’m Johnny.”
Cindy flashes her eyes at him and he looks down at her cleavage. She breathes in and he looks back into her eyes. I see the sparks jump and know there is mating in the air.
She smiles. “Hi, I’m Cindy.”
“Would you dance with me, Cindy?”
She holds up her hand. He takes it, softly brushes his lips across her knuckles and leads her to the centre of Winkle Island.
What a night. Cindy and Johnny dance like they’re made for each other. During the slow close dances, they kiss, deep lingering kisses that leave them both breathless. Well, I think Cindy has found her mate and I study him through slitted eyes. He’d better not let her down or he’ll have me to deal with. Grrr...
I wander off to find a doorway. I need a pee and then I sit by my favourite hotdog stall. People are generous when they’ve drunk that stuff that makes their legs move in different directions.
It is after midnight when I next see Cindy. She’s looking for Johnny. At midnight he vanished. She can’t understand it; not a word and he’s gone. And his car has gone too. I can see she is upset, although she does her best to hide it. We sit on one of the steps of the Nell Gwyn. I think Cindy is hoping Johnny will drive by and whisk her off somewhere. But he doesn’t, so we call it a night and go back to the hut. Inside she takes off the dress and hangs it on the wall and we crash.
In the darkness I can hear her sobbing. Bastard! I run my tongue around my mouth and choose my sharpest tooth. I’m really gonna’ bite him and then I drop off.
*
The next morning, we go round to Mrs T’s. Cindy’s trying to be brave, but her godmother knows something is wrong.
She places a cup of tea and bourbon creams in front of her and says, “Come on love, tell me all about it.”
Cindy shakes her head and won’t talk, then bursts into tears and the story comes out.
Mrs T. puts her arm around the girl’s shoulders and hugs her while she sobs. “There, there lovey. It’s not over yet, there’s still tonight.”
Cindy looks into her Godmother’s face with hopeful eyes. “But, what if he’s not there? I can’t go and he’s not there. I’d die.”
“You have to go sweetheart, the story’s not over yet and you’d be forever wondering. And what if he goes and you’re not there?”
Cindy nods. “That would be terrible.” The tears dry up and she smiles. “Yes, I’ll go.”
*
So Cindy goes to the dance on the second night and she looks even more gorgeous than the night before. I look good too, she’s brushed my fur.
People are everywhere, dancing and having fun. Word of the dance has gone round, but there is no sign of Johnny. We stand under the streetlight again and I can feel Cindy is not happy.
And then he’s standing beside her.
Her face glows like sunlight. He leans down and kisses her cheek.
“Hi sweetheart,” he says. “I’m sorry I left without saying anything last night, but time had flown by so quickly. I had to go.”
“Why?” she asks.
He sees the look in her eyes and smiles. “I can’t tell you now, but I will tell you later. I promise.” He leans forward and kisses her forehead, “No. There’s no wife or other woman. There’s only you, babe.”
“But...”
He puts a finger on her lips. “I’m sorry to be so mysterious, but all will become clear.”
She looks into his face for a moment, then leans against him and rests her head on his shoulder. He puts his arms around her and holds her tight. And then he kisses her.
I give him a warning growl and he looks down at me, moves back and lifts up his hands. “Whoa, little doggy fella, I’ll behave.”
I put away my teeth, but I’m still keeping my eye him.
Cindy and Johnny dance and seem so happy. You can see they are in love. I watch them for a while, but then someone gives me a hotdog and I concentrate on that. When I look back, they’ve gone. I search everywhere and eventually see them in the moonlight walking on the beach near the fishing boats. I sneak after them. They stop by the side of a large metal trawler and Cindy leans back against the hull, puts her arms around Johnny’s neck and pulls him to her. I can’t see properly as their bodies are merged in darkness.
Cindy crouches down on the shingle and pulls Johnny after her. They lie down and roll into the shadows. I can see movements in the dark and hear murmurs as they say nice things to each other.
A bunch of revellers drinking from bottles come past,
making a hell of a din, swaying and dancing to the rhythm of the band playing on Winkle Island. What a ruckus, kicking up stones everywhere and they stink of booze. A couple fall against the side of the trawler, laughing and shouting, kissing and hugging each other. Cindy and Johnny freeze. The gang moves on.
Cindy and Johnny creep out and move off across the shingle.
They go to Cindy’s hut. Why they didn’t go there in the first place, I don’t know. They let themselves in and close the door. I sneak up and lay down against the wall.
Soon they’re giggling like a couple of kids. Gradually, it goes quiet and I can hear the sighs and moans. The bed doesn’t make much noise, but I can hear it. I doze off anyway and leave them to their lovemaking.
*
Somewhere around midnight, something disturbs me. The door is ajar and the candle has burnt out. Johnny is dressed and standing outside looking at his watch. I can hear its alarm faintly vibrating. “Oh Christ,” he says softly. “I’ve done it again.”
He goes back into the hut and looks tenderly at Cindy. Then, noticing her hairbrush on the little table, he picks it up and puts it in his jacket pocket. He slips quietly outside again and shuts the door. Why’d he take her hairbrush? I follow him.
He runs between the boats and across the beach to where his car’s parked, unlocks it, jumps in the driver’s seat and starts the engine. It gives a deep throaty roar and the lights come on.
Slowly, it edges forward and then somewhere a clock strikes midnight... and it disappears.
I can’t believe it. One minute it’s there, the next it’s gone. I sit for a long time waiting, but it doesn’t come back. I walk over and stand in the exact spot where it disappeared, but nothing happens to me. Not even my bottom tingles.
Where’d he go? I make my way back to the beach hut. I need to get my head around this. People don’t just vanish, cars and all. I push my nose on the door and it opens. That daft Johnny hasn’t shut it properly. I go in and push it too, hearing the lock click. Now it’s shut. Cindy is alone and still sleeping. Johnny has definitely gone. I lie on my bed, but I can’t sleep. I keep seeing that car disappear.
I must have dropped off at some point, as I’m asleep when Cindy wakes. Even before I see her face, I feel her disappointment. Johnny has gone again and she doesn’t know where. She loves him. She thinks he loves her too, but he didn’t say a word. He just disappeared and she doesn’t know if she’ll ever see him again. I wish I could talk with human words; barks are so limited and little whines only show sadness. If I could talk, I might be able to help. At least I could explain how he went.
We stay in the hut, Cindy curled up under a sheet on the bed crying to herself. I can’t believe how deeply she loves him. I’m glad I’m a dog, sex is so much easier, sniff the parts, do the business and move on. I hope she doesn’t pine away.
Finally, we get up and go out, but she does look wretched. Fortunately, we bump into her godmother and Mrs Tinsdale takes charge immediately. I am so relieved.
Mrs T. is wonderful. She takes Cindy home, feeds her and runs her a hot bath. After the bath she cheers up a bit and looks brighter, although she is still a little tearful at times, she’s not nearly as bad.
For several nights, Cindy and I sleep on the sofa in the front room of the cottage. When she feels up to facing her bitch family, she returns to her room at the Nell Gwyn. I go back to the beach; me being at the Gwyn only means trouble for Cindy.
*
A week later, there is good news. Tessa’s mate proposes and she announces they’re getting married in two months’ time. This has them all excited. Humans love a wedding.
Two weeks after that comes the other news. Cindy’s having a pup, she’s having Johnny’s baby. This pleases and saddens her all at the same time. But mostly, it causes her to miss Johnny all the more. To make matters worse, Cindy tells her father, his bitch hears and lets it be known that she will not have Cindy living at the pub with a baby.
“Nasty noisy things,” she says.
Cindy looks at her father for help, after all he’s supposed to be top dog, but he hangs his head and says nothing.
I growl. Bloody coward.
The Bitch snarls at me. “WHAT’RE YOU DOING IN HERE, DIRTBAG?” She tries to kick me and I scarper.
One evening, we’re in the cottage just after I’ve had my supper - beef and carrots, very tasty.
Cindy, sitting at the kitchen table begins to cry. “Oh Garibaldi, what are we going to do? Where will we live with a baby?”
I put my chin on her leg and feel very sad.
She tickles my ears and brightens up. “Come on Cinderella! Snap out of it!” she says out loud. “Something will turn up and you’ve always got the beach hut as a last resort. They don’t want you with a sad face all over the damn place here. Your baby is a good thing!” She wipes her eyes and blows her nose on a tissue.
A moment later Tessa comes through the door. The two girls look at each other. She can see Cindy’s been crying, pulls up a chair and hugs her friend.
“Come on Cindy, cheer up. I’m sure Johnny will come back.”
“Tess, you are so lucky having Bert around. I wish I was marrying Johnny in a couple of months. We’d buy our own house and I’d no longer need to live at the pub with dad’s horrible wife and those grotesque daughters. I could just live with Johnny, the baby and Garibaldi and love them forever.” Cindy sighs, pats my head and looks at her friend. “I wouldn’t care if we lived in a tatty old tent over Fairlight.”
“Johnny will come back, don’t give up hope, Cindy,” and Tessa kisses her cheek. “Let’s put the kettle on.”
Mrs T. comes in, pulls up a chair and flops down beside the two women. “I’m worn out. I can’t shop like I used to.”
While they sip tea and I crunch on a bourbon cream, Tessa announces that the offer she and Bert have put down on the West Hill house has been accepted and the two of them will be living there after they’re married. “So, what if Cindy and the baby move into my room here in the cottage?”
Mrs Tinsdale thinks it is a wonderful idea and beams like a birthday girl and so does Cindy.
I do my little dance and everyone laughs.
*
So Tessa and Bert do this marrying thing. And what a beautiful wedding it is. I eat so much cake I throw up in the back garden. After that, I go for a walk on the beach... and find myself at Cindy’s Hut... I haven’t been back since Johnny left. I sniff around and instantly my fur stands on end!
Johnny’s scent is all over the door.
It’s faint, but he’s been here since we left! Why didn’t we go back? He could have left a message, or something. Johnny has been here looking for Cindy and we hadn’t thought... I sniff through the keyhole and under the door, but no fresh scent of Johnny in here.
Of course not, stupid dog, it’s locked.
I stare up at the door. Yes! Something has been written in chalk, but the rain has smeared it.
But he’s been here!
I rush back to the party to tell Cindy and stand there seething with frustration. I can’t speak bloody human, can I? I try barking, but one of the uncles throws a glass of beer over me.
So here I am soaked in beer, walking around with this secret in my head and I can’t bloody tell her.
*
Cindy moves into Tessa’s old room. Sometime later her pup moves in too, a little girl that Cindy calls Jonni-Jr, or JJ for short. She is a bright little thing, all giggles with dark hair like her mother. I can’t believe how daft women become around a baby. It is so noisy in the bedroom with all their gaggling and coochy-cooing. I go into the front room and curl up on the sofa.
*
I really like Jonni-Jr. She follows me around everywhere. I can always tell when she’s up to something by the giggles, mostly it is pulling my tail, but sometimes she yanks on my ears, but it’s never painful. Mind you, I never get a moments peace, she is around me all the time. I wake up from a doze and she’s curled up beside me, but I l
ike that. Life is good with Jonni-Jr around... and the days pass happily for all of us, although we all miss Johnny.
One day, when Jonni-Jr is about a year old, I’m walking on the beach around the fishing boats. It’s a hot day and reminds me of when Cindy and I first met. It has that same zing in the air and I don’t realize it, but I’ve wandered across the shingle to the beach hut.
Johnny’s scent is there - today!
But there’s nothing written on the door to show Cindy. BUGGER! I’m still carrying this big secret around and it’s weighing me down. Ok, I think, nose down and follow the scent. It takes me to the dirt road behind the Fish Market.
And his car’s there.
Parked right where he parked it nearly two summers ago. I stand as stiff as a gatepost. I’m gobsmacked. I’m so excited I lift my leg on a fence post and pee all over this kid on a tricycle. Dirty dog! What to do? What to do? Go and get Cindy... No, he might disappear again, I sniff around it.
Lots of Johnny scent.
I jump on the driving seat. I’ll wait till he comes back, but I’m too impatient so I jump out and follow his scent again.
And there he is!
There are three other men with him dressed in the same clothes; I think they’re called uni-forms or su-its. He has a little gadget and he’s asking Cindy look-a-likes if he can brush it across their hair. I go closer and watch. Then something jogs in my mind. This must have something to do with Cindy’s hairbrush. He took her hairbrush when he left; I thought that was odd. Now I understand, it has something to do with that gizmo. It can tell Cindy’s hair.
I run home, it’s just down the road, dive through the dog-door, but no one’s in. SOD! What to do? Grrrrr... I run round the room and clumsy dog, knock the wash-basket over. Stuff everywhere. I grab one of Jonny-Jr’s woolly booties - the one she’s thrown up on. EEAGH, but I don’t care, this’ll do and I’m out the dog-door and back along the road.
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