Monday, May 7, 2012

Coincidence ?





The second round of the Presidential elections. Seven thirty and there's already half a dozen tractors parked around the war memorial. Early rising farmers waiting to vote . At quarter to eight the mayor  arrives to open up the town hall. He looks flustered , trademark pork pie hat pushed back on his head . He can't find the front door key. A farmer lends him his mobile phone. Five minutes later Madame Mayor arrives in the very old Renault without hubcaps. She's brought the keys, a plate of honey croissants, and her eight year old granddaughter. The sleepy child still in pink pyjamas. On the dot of eight the blinds in the town hall are raised and the polling station officially opens. Madame Mayor offers the unwary a honey croissant . 

In the afternoon a brief but violent hail storm blows down from the mountains. For a few minutes the house and village carpeted in an inch of sparkling  white. As the hail beats against the roof Wilf wanders into the library . He settles down across my feet . That look all dog owners know . '' Don't think I'm frightened. I've just come in to guard you " . 

'The fonts' away . One of lifes inevitable duties . In the small hours Wilf wakes and lets out one loud howl . Not a bark, a howl . Three twenty exactly . I go downstairs by which time the phone is ringing . Coincidence?

20 comments:

  1. My condolences to the font and the rest of you. I'm presuming Wilf's howl wasn't prompted by the election result.

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  2. Ha Bouncing Bertie beat me to it...
    But ditto.
    SO sorry.

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  3. ....dogs have more extra senses than we can comprehend....sending love..xx

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  4. You know they say there are no coincidences, I find this especially true with dogs. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

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  5. Wilfie looking more polar bear ever - love from Susanne, Daisy, Foxiie (not well - off to test for Babesiose) and Kiri - more cheeky every day

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  6. Dog. ESP. Best wishes to all in your loss

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  7. Though I don't know what sadness was in your 0320 phone call, our thoughts are with you. Wilf is a sensitive boy.

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  8. Oh my how interesting. And Mr. O, the Pack & I offer our condolences to you, The Font & family

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  9. Uncanny....yes they are....those Canine instinctual senses....I don't think it's coincidence...PON's are simply the CUTEST dogs....(hug) for Wilf. Hope the hail didn't ruin your garden labors....

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  10. Shivers over here. How uncanny and yet, we're not surprised. Our family pets are always the first to know aren't they? Holding you all in our thoughts today.

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  11. i can only think perhaps little granny font. and if so...
    i remember a small poem i read once ...
    there are three great glories
    a young girl's first awakened passion
    a babe at its mother's breast
    and an old lady on her way home to god.
    wilfee does not even look blind in these pictures.
    he looks so beautiful!
    love to you dearest three,
    tammy j

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  12. Somehow in your world, these "coincidences" are not rare. Please accept our condolences -- the font's many early morning trips to London leave no doubt as to her closeness with granny font.

    In one of those one door closes another opens moments, at 3:36am (EST) our lovely grandaughter, Miss Olivia Carolyn, was born. And perhaps her spirit crossed granny font's -- in such cases, time zones seem irrelevant.

    Love to you all,

    Joan and the new uncles Jake and Just Harry

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  13. Hollande in, Sarkozy out. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
    Love to our PON.

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  14. Funny how our canine companions know these things before we do. I hope the news wasn't bad!

    I can picture all the tractors parked as the farmers wait to vote! I think farmers are same the world over! lol

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  15. I got goosebumps with the last paragraph. Dogs are highly sensitive and ours certainly know when somethings up, before we do that is for sure. I do not know what the 3:20 phone call was, but in my experience, the ones in the middle of the night are never good news.

    On a lighter note, I must say the picture of Wilf lying upside down in the middle of the road brought a fair amount of laughter from me today! That picture is absolutely precious! Keep on going Wilf!

    With love from your Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

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  16. So sorry for your loss. Wilf is such a special old soul that nothing surprises me when I hear of "coincidences" from your corner of the universe.

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  17. So sorry to read about Granny Font. My condoleances to Lady Font. Such hard days...
    All my thoughts are for you.
    Bisous to my beloved Wilfee.

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  18. We too are sorry about Granny Font. Wilf's instincts are intense. Love the funky hair-do! What a character. Give him a kiss from Iowa USA.

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  19. Numerous encounters with the special senses that dogs have, lead me to say, it was probably not a coincidence. An uncanny and slightly scary thought, but probably true.

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  20. Somehow I missed this post. So very sorry for the loss of Granny Font, my deepest condolences to the Font and the family. I'm not surprised that Wilf sensed her loss. What a magical, mysterious bond that love forges.

    Purple Magpie in California

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