Man's Best Friend.

I was twelve when I first met little Sandy a two year old jack russell cross . I was in the thick lantana scrub at the Golf course looking for golf balls,when I heard a noise behind me .Turning around I saw this tiny little sandy coloured dog, with burr's matted all through her coat just sitting there with a golfball in her mouth. Her sparkling little eyes danced in anticipation, as she dropped the golfball at my feet and started wagging frantically not only her tail, she wagged her whole body. She had me in stitches, with her enthusiasm and her exaggerated frantic wagging.

I think she expected me to throw the golf ball so she could bring it back , but I wasn't there to throw them away,times were hard and golfballs put food on the table, So as I put the ball in my football sock with the others I had found she soon realised , she would have to find another one , if she wanted to play with me.

Little Sandy brought me about twenty more golfballs that day, before she followed me home, where I snuck her into my room, fed her and slept soundly with her tucked up on the end of my bed, I fell in love.

I awoke to my my mother's high pitched screaming voice,''Darcey D, You get that filthy mut out of this house'',  ''bring your bloody flea ridden muts into my house, I'll give you what for''. Ducking the broom, I followed Sandy bolting down the hall and out the front door. After a few hours of banishment I plucked up the courage to go in and plead Sandy's case, A couple of days later and with constant pleading and with plenty of exaggerated wagging by Sandy , she was allowed to stay.

For the next eight months Sandy and I searched for golfballs together , she showed me new methods of searching for golfballs digging arround the base of trees and under burrawangs .A few times crossing the golf course to sell the balls to the pro shop, Sandy would chase a golfball still rolling , and on a few occations created quite a stir running off with with the ball. This didn't realy worry me as most of the golfers, thought it funny and even bought some balls from me ,when I gave the ball Sandy had stolen back to them.

One really hot Saturday morning I was way up in the bush looking around ,when I realised I hadn't seen Sandy for about ten minutes, so I hurried down toward the fairways,emerging from the scrub I saw sandy across another fairway running toward a man about to putt on a green.

She ran and picked up the ball he had just putted, and as she did this I watched in total horror as this big skinny man took three giant strides, and swinging his putter with tremendous force, he connected with Sandy on the top of her head killing her instantly.

It felt like slow motion as I ran triping into a concrete gully running through the middle of the course, and splitting my own head open, It only took me a Instant to realise Sandy was dead when I reached her, such was the massive damage incured by this evil mans single blow.

It's not realy clear what happened next ,I went into some sort of tunnel vision that I have never expeirenced again, I grabbed a golf club I later found out in court, was a two wood, and chasing this man I hit him in the back with the club, and again as he fell breaking his elbow he also sustained a broken jaw as I kicked him in the face with bare feet.

About four other golfers held me down until the police came and charged me with assault and grevious harm ,I was sentenced to six months in a boys home and now had a criminal record, when the judge sentenced me he ask if I had anything to say, at twelve I just said ,''Sir the man I hit, killed my dog Sandy'',he cut me off saying ,''that story is wearing a little bit thin mister.

The man that lied about everything he did that day, later became a member of the town council, and a very respected member of the community . I cant help but to wonder what other skeletons, he has in his closet. and if by some slim chance you ever do read this mate, I rest easy in the knowledge ,every dog has his day !. 

                                                                                                                              Darcey D.