Page 6 of Always Beth
‘No, no, there’s definitely something…’ She scrambles around next to the fence, and I squeeze my eyes shut and wait for the inevitable.
‘Oh, Poppy, no. Help, help me get him off her!’
Swallowing hard, I peer over the fence and as I expected, there he is, getting his end away on her poor Yorkshire terrier. Beth desperately tries pull them apart, but Dick isn’t having any of it and to be fair, her dog looks like she’s having the time of her life.
‘Come here, you little shit.’ Clipping the lead back around his neck, I drag him away, cutting short his afternoon delight.
‘Oh, Poppy, what has he done to you? What has he done to her?’ she screams.
As I scoop him under my arm, he raises his pointy nose with pride and we both turn to study her. ‘I think they had sex.’
‘I know that. I’m not stupid,’ she hisses.
‘Why ask a stupid question then?’
Her eyes flare with anger and it’s the first time that I’ve seen her, really seen her. Her crystal blue eyes and auburn hair. There’s a slight rosiness to her cheeks that’s only been inflamed by the situation. In any other circumstance she would be quite breathtakingly beautiful, but right now she’s a woman scorned on behalf of her dog.
‘Your, your…’ She waves her hand towards him, and he whimpers, it’s the first time I think I’ve felt sorry for him. Ever.
‘My Dick,’ I force out.
‘Excuse me?’
‘He’s called Dick.’
‘Who calls their dog Dick?’ she says, clutching her trembling terrier to her chest.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and smile. Hearing someone else say it out loud, does make it sound a little ridiculous. ‘Look, there’s no harm done.’
‘You would say that, wouldn’t you?’ She tosses her hair over her shoulder in a show of distaste.
‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Men, thinking they can ejaculate where they want without any repercussions.’
This is news to me.
‘Dick, apologise.’ I thrust him forward, holding him at arm’s length.
‘Oh, you think this is funny, I suppose?’
‘Perhaps you’re jealous that they’ve had all the fun and we on the other hand… did not.’
‘I’m not looking for fun. Especially with men who can’t keep their dogs on a lead,’ she remarks.
‘Well, I think you need to keep your bitch in check.’
Her eyes narrow. Incensed at the suggestion.
‘Look, Beth. Dick’s clean, he doesn’t make a habit of this sort of thing and he takes his responsibilities in life seriously. I’m not saying he’s going to step up, because let’s face it, his legs are about two point five inches, but perhaps he can pay maintenance?’
She growls, turns her back and storms off across the paddock, her auburn hair flying erratically in the breeze as her poor pooch looks longingly over her shoulder at us. Did we break up the start of something beautiful?
‘Sorry my Dick touched your flower,’ I yell.
Without stopping to turn around, she screams back at me, ‘It’s Poppy!’
* * *
