I am not sure I have the required writing skills to tell this story as delicately as it should be told, but here is my best shot at it.
Our little dog Toby is almost stone cold deaf. The 12-year-old poodle has been gradually losing his hearing over the past few months and two events in the past week confirm he is hearing very little.
Toby used to become frantic during thunderstorms. I became his saviour and he would come to me for comfort. Sometimes he ended up under the covers at night where he stayed at least till the storm had passed.
But last week, we had a bit of a thunderstorm and it never even woke him up. Two nights later, pre-Canada Day fireworks were set off in our neighbourhood and they didn’t disturb him at all. We used to dread local fireworks. He suffered badly till they ended.
So in that respect, the little guy’s life has become a bit easier. Even the ringing of the front door bell drove him crazy. Not any more.
This afternoon, he and I sat under the maple tree in the backyard. I browsed the news on my phone while he slept on the paving stones at my feet. Sound asleep. Still deaf.
Now here is the delicate part. I had eaten a hearty lunch and combined with the pop, I began to feel a familiar rumble in the part of my body were rumbles sometimes take place and I remembered my Mother’s advice: “Wherever ye be, let your wind blow free.”
I did as she had told me to do.
I am not sure if this is something anyone would want to brag about, but I looked at the little dog and watched his head shoot up at the sound of me letting my wind blow free.
Two things.
Apparently Toby is not completely deaf yet.
And it seems my body is able to produce sounds louder than a thunderstorm, fireworks and a doorbell.
There aren’t a lot of areas where I excel anymore, so, unashamed, I will accept the ribbon for this accomplishment.
Besides, Mom used to often exclaim after one of her seven children had freed their wind, “Well, that was better out than an eye.”
As proof that I have always taken my Mother’s advice in this area, I still have two eyes.
©2020 Jim Hagarty
