Fore shadowing…
Little Fur sighed…
Being curious was tiring…
The Sett Owl had told her that curiosity was part of what made her a healer,
and another time Sorrow had said that curiosity could be a kind of bravery…
“You smell of memories,” Graysong said, “Are you thinking of your cat friend???”
“I was thinking of another friend —
a fox who was born and brought up inside a human machine…
Now he has gone to see if he can learn to be wild…”
— in little fur: A Mystery of Wolves by Isabelle Carmody
Some time,
last Winter,
I had a dream,
that I was rubbing my hands,
up and down,
the full length,
of a woman’s leg,
and wiggled my fingers,
in her private parts…
I woke up feeling,
extra squeamish,
because it was unusual
and I didn’t know,
what it meant…
So I phoned a friend,
who’s a nurse,
and she put words,
to the procedure…
She told me,
You need to get a business card…
I,
of course,
had no idea,
what sort of business,
I was into,
so I filed her advice,
until further notice…
A day or so,
after the dream,
I was trying on clothes,
in a shared change room,
on my own,
when a woman entered,
with her twenty-one year old,
daughter…
She saw a gold lace dress,
in my pile of keepers…
I told her to try it on…
I said,
If it fits you,
it’s yours…
She said something,
wistfully,
about how I’d gotten there,
before her…
I said,
No need to worry,
there’s so much to go around…
As she took her clothes off,
she showed me the wrapping,
on her leg,
and waving her hand around,
explained,
about how everything,
was loose,
down there,
from carrying,
and birthing,
her five children…
She said,
I just had an operation,
to strip my veins,
and tighten up…
I said,
That dress looks fantastic on you…
Throw on a pair of high boots,
and you,
are good to go,
dancing,
with your husband…
She said,
That’s exactly what I was thinking…
We said our goodbyes,
and I rode off,
on my bicycle,
with my stethoscope,
tongue depressors,
and an awesome,
pink,
lab coat…
Last night,
I went to the Home Depot,
to pick up some necessary supplies…
When I got to the till,
and put my items,
on the counter,
the cashier asked,
Will that be all???
I said,
Yes,
I don’t buy anything more,
than I need right now…
She said,
A corn broom,
and a toilet seat…
That’s the beginning of a great story…
I laughed…
She said,
Don’t get me started,
I could go on,
and on,
and then there would be a line-up…
I said,
Do you write your stories down???
She said,
No, I’m not a writer…
My cousin does that…
I’m just the zany one,
who comes up,
with all the ideas…
And then we run with them,
together…
I said,
I’ll link you up…
It’s your time to shine…
And as I walked through,
the exit doors,
she called,
Thank you very much,
for shopping,
at Home Depot…
I have to admit,
I was a bummed,
that Tampa,
isn’t the Canucks’,
match-up,
for the finals…
I have a fondness,
for a GM,
who is considered,
one of the best,
looking,
two-way forwards,
EVER…
Not to mention,
the intensity,
of his coach,
who has never before,
played,
in the NHL…
Often,
we don’t know,
how it is,
we get to where we are…
But I’ve heard it said,
many a time,
that you have to trust,
what you do know,
because it’s the very thing,
that got you there…
As I was hauling out,
15 years,
of rotten wood,
and debris,
from underneath,
my front porch,
because it was time,
to be done with it,
my super-duper neighbour,
who’s rebuilding,
her own house,
told me,
I quit my job…
Friday was my last day…
I was so tired of my boss,
telling me what to do…
I want to be my own man…
We giggled,
flexed,
and pissed beer,
into our tool-belts,
at the very connotation…
I asked her about her fears,
heart palpitations,
and night sweats…
She wondered,
How do you know???
I said,
Because I’ve been there,
and done that…
She wondered,
Do you give sessions???
I said,
I’ve been giving you one,
every time we talk..
If you need further assistance,
we can set up a signal…
She said,
With your ears,
I know I won’t need to bark…
I’ll just use my bone whistle…
No one else can feel it for you... (photo: Vincy)
Mock speed…
We give you all the thrills of the NBA... (Avatar: Geoff Heith)
Fur sure…
He was an animal out there,
said winger Alex Burrows…
I knew he was going to come back…
It’s all about heart and his mindset that puts him into those pressure moments…
He came back strong and to see him put it all out there really means a lot for this team…
— #14 on #17 as quoted in THE Province
One recent afternoon,
in between games two,
and three,
against San Jose,
I was watering,
and grooming the horses,
when the barn manager asked me,
Have you met our farrier???
I hadn’t yet,
but as I was finishing up,
my duties,
for the day,
a truck,
pulled up,
and the woman,
who emerged,
from the driver’s seat,
answered my inquiry,
by saying,
I just have to get into my work clothes,
and then I can show you,
what’s what…
I led a reluctant Appaloosa,
and his sore foot,
into the barn,
and was offered the low-down,
on twenty-years of experience,
in the trade,
as she trimmed,
and hammered,
what is considered,
by those in the know,
to be a beautiful organ,
which needs to be cared for,
as such…
She moved,
with a magician’s precision,
around this gentle,
one tonne beast,
revealing the secrets,
of her mysteries,
There are things I’ve always felt,
about horses,
which I haven’t been able to explain,
to my clients…
I have a hunger,
to back my knowledge,
up with science…
I asked her,
She said,
I’ve been reading the theories,
of quantum physics…
I didn’t tell her that I’d taken,
to backing up,
what I feel,
and explaining things,
to my clients,
with hockey,
because before I could,
express my findings,
she wrote,
a post-it,
with invisible ink,
about how it was the horses,
who always brought her,
to where she needed to be…
And the more faith,
and trust,
she put,
in her equine messengers,
the more easily she found,
herself carried,
to her people…
With the new shoe,
now in place,
she held my hand,
over a hot spot,
at the side of the hoof,
and said,
This guy could use some,
of what you’ve got…
Horses let go,
of their stories,
so much faster than humans,
so it is very rejuvenating,
and rewarding work…
After some time,
of me giving all I’ve got,
to Joey’s right front quarter,
from the neck on down,
he turned his head,
and looked right into me,
with his big brown eye,
and said,
That’s good…
The farrier applied a shield,
of protection,
to prevent further damage,
and as I led,
this lovely boy,
back to his paddock,
I heard a final assessment,
based on,
her own brand of science,
My guess is,
he’ll be fine by tomorrow…
The thing about horses,
which is very much,
like playoff hockey,
in that,
if your mind,
is on something,
you think you should,
or shouldn’t have said,
did,
or shouldn’t have done,
all it takes,
is a swift kick,
from behind,
with no intent to injure,
and you’re a dumb puck,
in the back,
of someone else’s net…
My mind,
went elsewhere,
for a few seconds,
yesterday afternoon,
in the wash stall,
while I was loosening up,
a hind quarter,
with my sticky fingers…
And Big Ben,
wasted no time,
in letting me know,
that if I didn’t have,
all cylinders,
firing directly,
on what is best,
for him,
I had no business,
holding him,
in the cross ties…
And he told me,
by doing,
something,
only a mother,
should love…
Just the music on the radio...
Canuck'd 