RE: Life's Blood
He has endured trials unimaginable. That day or so immobilized on the floor did a lot of damage. I have been told he has been able to sit up, which indicates two things: he's not paralyzed, and he's not a vegetable. His mind is intact to an unknown degree, because he cannot speak, and it is difficult to ascertain at the best of times to what degree any of us have competent minds through our speech. Determining what damage he has suffered is complicated by the damage his speech centers have undergone, and this slows therapy that will be necessary to effect such recovery as he can undertake.
I have some challenges I must dedicate myself to presently, cannot sit at his side in the big city hospital, and thus must await news of his condition from his family. I am undertaking to care for Bear, which is a far larger challenge than one would expect. Bear is an English Spaniel, which are extremely active, high energy, intelligent working dogs. Tom was a softie. He didn't like telling Bear what to do, and didn't establish boundaries most of us would consider essential for Bear.
As a result, taking Bear for a walk is like chaining yourself to a hurricane. He's only 20 kilos or so, but it's all muscle, and he's used to dragging Tom to whatever he wants to smell or pee on. Curbing this dragging technique he has learned and teaching him he'll get to smell or pee on things if he just waits while I dawdle on over to them is going to take a few days, at best. Given my markedly fragile condition, it is far more challenging than I expected it would be, and training dogs has been in the past.
While I'd also like to make some repairs on Tom's home, which needs much, I presently am hopeful to delay paid work I was in process of completing for folks while I heal myself, and not to lose that. I'm unlikely to be able to fit Tom's home into that schedule this winter, as I'll be lucky to keep the several jobs already being delayed. Neither do I know if Tom will return home.
He hasn't been able to walk yet, and I don't know if he's going to return to independent living.
I hope he will, as you note.
Your kind words for strangers are deeply touching. Thank you very much.
More or less I am here sporadically. Your long reply deserves an answer. I am glad to hear the good news of your friend. I keep fingers crossed. I can imagine how difficult it must be for you to deal with all that organisational, emotional and practical work, being just out of the hospital your self. Take care, man. For both of you all the best!
For some reason I have the feeling you are writer or should be one.
I have today for the first time since the heart attack put in a full days work. I am very, very happy about that! Bear, as I walk him daily, and the day after I got him I began training him to heel, has become much easier to handle. He's amazingly intelligent and active, as Springer Spaniels are. He really resembles a spring-loaded dog, LOL. Today I brought him to the job site and tethered him outside on aircraft cable (he snipped through the leash when I tried to tether him on that, so I can't tether him with anything he can bite through), which was nice for him, I think. When I came out at lunch to share tidbits of my sandwich with him, he literally was bouncing from one front paw to the other, quivering from head to toe, he was so excited. Just as if he was spring-loaded.
I do appreciate your kind words. I did publish a short story on Steem a while back. 'Fresh Meat' is in my back catalog if you'd like to read it. I recall breaking it into three parts, but searching it out may not be easy. I hope you do, and that you enjoy it.
Thanks!
Thanks.
Walking around with the dog in a beautiful nature might be a good thing for both of you.
I pulled your story on my e-reader and read it twice. Yes, you are a gifted writer who knows how to deal with words. The story is captivating, convincing and sufficient gruesome. Usually, I am not much in science fiction of this Terminator kind, but here in the short story, I could bear it. Yesterday I read somewhere about the first living computer. It is still on a micro level, but we are on the way ...
I hope you will find the right readership, perhaps outside of this virtual world.
I am glad you enjoyed it. It was the first time I was availed of the services of editors, and @rhondak and The Writer's Block, now @steemhouse publishing, literally verbally abused me until virtually every word of the story had been changed from my original draft. As a result the writing is immeasurably better, and honestly, not mine alone.
Thanks!
Oh, the writing is definitely all yours, and you should be very, very proud of it!
We were glad to help. But that's what multi-pass editing is all about, and it works. It's putting our work through the filter of many readers before we publish it, taking the best ideas and suggestions from them, and making the finished product shine. Your finished product most definitely shines. :-)
And I agree: the hook line in this post does its job: "That night something came for Tom and I...." Except I would have told you to use "me" instead, since you wouldn't say, "That night something came for I." LOL Nonetheless, I hope you consider using that line to open a fiction piece very soon, especially since Steemhouse is posting writing prompts again...hint, hint.
And btw, I had NO IDEA you'd had a heart attack. You should have told me!!!! I'm glad you're better! Holy wow. You just never know. I wish to heck I could help with Bear.
=D I confess I do love being critiqued by you. You are a born teacher, and I learn from every suggestion. I want to be better than I am, and that benefit is delivered by you and your insights.
Life is short, so enjoy the parts where you're not having a heart attack.
As to Bear, he's a very good dog. He just wasn't parented ruthlessly, which is more necessary to a dog the more intelligent and active they are, and Bear is about as intelligent and active as dogs get. I am swamped by work since I needed to take a week off, and the storms are regular and daunting, which strongly inhibits my ranging about in the woods satisfactorily for Bear.
Life isn't perfect for Bear, but he's learning to heel, to not dash out the door and revel in freedom at the first opportunity; he's warm, dry, beloved, and well fed and watered. Unlike Tom, I don't allow his grubby paws on my bed, but I hope that will make him all the happier when Tom is returned to him after recuperating in the hospital.
I love Bear dearly, but I'll love him more when he lives at Tom's house =D
You know, that comment regarding your post on the Virginia Rally is really what I think. There are so many amazing people that have lived, loved, and done incredible things that are lost in the darkness of prehistory that I would be plum tickled to meet, just as I would you. Given an extended timeline for development, if not infinite, I expect we clever tinkering monkeys, who all enjoy good company, to eventually get around to working out a way to meet.
Gold loses it's lustre. Great meals are but sawdust on the tongue without great company at the table. All the events of note in our life are inconsequential if we have no one to share them with. Nothing is comparable to the value of society to us, and this subjugates every purpose and goal to that of social intercourse eventually. Once existential challenges are met, securing resources, staving off dangers, and arranging for suitable shelter, impediments to improving our social life vanish, and it'll be time to party down.
Let's each raise a toast in anticipation of our likely and joyful meet and greet when humanity finally gets it's act together and we can rave across the limitless universe until the end of time with all the cool kids.
I think I want that printed on a T-shirt. 🤣
When you get a chance, DM me your general location on the planet. Michel and I are constantly traveling. Us clever tinkering monkeys might be able to come up with something. It would be a joy and an honor. :-)
I remain alive in Pacific City, Oregon. Stop by anytime =D I have let my French languish terribly for the last 40 years, and would love to be re-edumacated and reaquainted with la Belle Langue, so Michel could teach me just as well as you.
How I would relish such cogent criticism! LOL
I'd love to get to meet you both. Please visit if it's reasonably possible, but avoid the storms of fall and winter for the milder days of spring and summer.