Sometimes Bob sleeps upstairs. Sometimes downstairs. Sometimes he alternates between the two. This morning he's downstairs.
Sophie is getting very bored with her enforced inactivity.
The house empty again. A gentle start to taking the decorations down. We'll spread it over a couple of days. Putting away the Christmas cards I see that this one was more politically pertinent than I'd thought. The photograph of the little boy in Aleppo, Omran, was a sad token of last year. The card rather quiet and hopeful - a modern example of the 'angels aren't just for Christmas' school.
The grumpy Polish nun is hurrying into the cloisters when Bob and his master head back to the car from the bakers. She is an unsmiling woman who's role in life is to tell visitors to the abbey to shut the door. '' Don't you know there's such a thing as a draught ? ". Angus and the American boys were told off in no uncertain terms by her last week for leaving the door ajar. This morning she sees Bob, smiles, stoops down and lapses into Polish. Bob halts and is transfixed. The nun glances up at me and says '' I'll stay here and look after the dog for a moment. You go into the church '. A chance for me to study the 12th century wooden 'Flight into Egypt' carving of Mary and Joseph. Under the arc lights the shadows as alive as the carving. For a few dog petting moments I'm allowed to stand alone with this treasure. In return the nun spends spends time with her compatriot. Does a Polish dog bring back memories of her childhood? When I emerge Bob is having his ears tickled and is being called Honey Boy. This would seem to be a very un-nun like thing to say. Bob is looking beatific.
When you travel with a shaggy dog you make the most unexpected acquaintances.
+“Omran, Angels Are Here! is by Salt Lake City artist Judith Mehr.
15 comments:
What a poignant Christmas card! I'll bet that time with Bob was the happiest time of that poor woman's day... no, make that week! A change from slivers of croissant, but Bob enjoyed himself too - 'the best day ever' perhaps?
What a very satisfactory encounter. Angus gets to spend a moment contemplating a beautiful carving while Bob and the nun share precious moments together.
I wonder if by speaking Polish, the nun awakened some deeply buried memories in Bob's mind? Did he recall his forbears herding sheep?
Poor Sophie, it must be even more boring now that all the College boys have returned home, but cheer up, not long now before you can start savaging that oaf of a brother again !
I must admit that I always speak my mother tongue to animals and babies, regardless whether they have ever heard the language before. Is Bob bilingual? Or omnilingual?
The card and the carving make an interesting juxtaposition of refugees--different eras but the same region.
Bob knows 'lunch ' and 'dinner ' in all languages. The rest he interprets by tone of voice.
Bob is fluent in the language of people's hearts I think. Who needs Latin, we all need to learn 'dog'! X
I think that all dogs quickly learn "lunch", "dinner", and don't forget "breakfast" too !
Or 'cookies '.
Beautifully stated!
Bob has had two delightful morning outings this week! The first involving cocktail sausages, and now having a nun speak to him in his 'mother language'. Thank you for sharing with us a picture of the twelfth century wooden carving. Breath taking!
What a beautiful carving. And how touching the not so grumpy nun speaking to Bob in their mother tongue. A tender moment.
One is never a stranger when one travels with large, furry dogs.
A very touching post. The carving is exquisite and yes, the shadows.
It's amazing how dogs can make moods change.
Statue reminds me of a child's drawing of a plane....The Flight to Egypt, with Mary, Joseph and Jesus..flown by the Pontius pilot.
Touching that the grumpy nun felt she needed to send you into the church so she could spend some extra time with Bob. One can only imagine the love and sweetness she poured out to him in those few precious moments, a chance to feel the warmth of love for a dog before the curtain of reserve closes again.
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