Shelley the Lifeboat Labrador (24 page)

The function we attended had the Band of The Royal Marines playing and there was a lot of excellent food and drink consumed during the evening.  Shelley stayed back at the hotel. She was used to this lifestyle.  Keith and I got a cab to the officer’s mess where we were both greeted with a welcome drink(s), looking smart in our Dinner Jackets.  As the evening went on we met more of Bob and Winn’s friends including some of the consultants I had got to know over the years.

For some reason one of the stewards every now and then came up to us both saying, “You have been topped out sir!” and proceed to pour the last drops of every spirit bottle that was emptied behind the bar into our glasses.  This went on all evening resulting in yours truly conducting the Royal Marines Band behind the conductor and Keith doing the most unusual dance routine in the centre of the rather elegant ballroom area with a very attractive female navy commander.  Unknown to us both; Winn had set this up instructing the stewards to make sure we were the selected pair for the traditional top up routine. 

If the truth be know neither of us I am sure remember leaving the function other than getting into a taxi with worried looks from the driver expecting us to ‘have Technicolor yawns’ (throwing up) in the back of his cab, which I am glad to say we did not do!  Back at the hotel some navy types were still up and we were invited to join them in spirit if not in mind.

One officer decided to teach us a specific game where a ball bearing slid down two metal rods – the object being to make sure it did not fall of the rails. It seemed easy but was not.  He then proceeded to do same but backwards encouraging us to do it but playing for a ‘Horses Neck’ which was a brandy and Ginger Ale.  It was an impossible task for us both and we were oblivious to our hotel bar bill increasing all the time.  It was fun though and after all we were with the ‘Senior Service’ which was a great honour.

Sensing that this could be a long session I went to get Shelley and after giving her a little walk on the lawn outside the hotel she joined us in the bar. Funny creatures are dog’s! There she was a few days ago having problems walking up the stairs and here she was now with her paws on the bar looking for a packet of crisps and a sip of Winn Jones beer, who had joined us.

As for Keith, he had got to the silly stage and could just not stop laughing; everything we did was a total disaster.  Not only that it was 2am and for some reason more navy types were joining us in the bar. It appears we were staying in a well respected late night drinking establishment.  The rule being that as long as there were residents drinking in the bar others were welcome to stay as our unpaid guests if approved by the owner.

Eventually we got to bed at about 5a.m (so we were told) surfacing about 10- in the morning feeling terrible and still worse for wear.  Poor Keith looked like a ghost out of ‘Scrooge’ whilst I was so dehydrated I kept drinking water all the time.  They very kindly had left us some fruit juice and made some fresh toast for us both with jugs of strong black coffee.  Keith bit into his toast which resulted in a cry of anguish. Ts the pain of eating it was worse than his actual headache; so he gave that up.  As for Shelley she looked at us in utter disgust wondering who she was with.  This was soon rectified as Keith passed his toast to her under the table in the lounge.

We paid our bills (slightly more than we expected) but there were receipts to prove that we had almost drunk a bottle of expensive Brandy.  Common sense prevailed and we decided to return to see Bob and Winn in the surgical unit.  For some reason several of the nurses were looking in our direction and chuckling (it could have been Keith’s dancing skills).  Back in the unit we were delighted to see both Bob and Winn looked as bad as we felt.  Bob did make us a coffee of sorts and Winn suggested that it would be a good idea to have ‘The hair of the dog’ offering us a small scotch from a discreet hip flask hidden in one of the filing cabinets.  I am glad to say that fell on deaf ears!                                                                                               

Bob walked down with us and on the way out suggested that we might like to have a look in a medical museum room that he had the keys.  What a mistake; on entry we found it to be full of specimen jars which on closer examination contained body parts ranging from hands to toes to eyes and many other horrible objects.  These Bob said with great glee had dated back to Nelsons days when ships surgeons collected them for medical research.  I was to later find out it was considered to be one of the most famous surgical collections in the world.  They were all put in preservatives including the head of one rating that seemed to stare at you which ever way you looked at him.  Shelley was most amused by this when we showed her, making sure not to drop it on the floor in the process!

If nothing else it did get rid of the hangover.  We made the return journey to my flat at Shoreham where Keith collected his car to drive back to Essex.  Shelley wanted a small walk after Keith had gone so I strolled around the town only to be waylaid by a couple of the Lifeboat crew who felt I looked as though I needed a little light refreshment in the Royal Sovereign  whilst only to be told how ill I looked by a very cheerful Ron behind the bar.

It was time to go home and all was fine as we started to walk through the churchyard.  Suddenly Shelley let out a terrible wine and had collapsed on the path. She seemed fine after a couple of seconds and got up again.  Getting back to the flat I once again had to carry her up-stairs where she went straight to bed.

As it was Saturday we did not have to get up early giving me the chance to have a slight sleep over.  On entering the lounge and kitchen I found that Shelley had been far from well and had been sick all over the place.  She was on her bed shaking and feeling very sorry indeed for herself. I am sure she was worried about me scolding her.  It was not in my nature to do this anyway and accidents do happen.                                                                                                       

I rang the vets and they suggested I bring her over to Hove.  On arrival she was examined and they put it down to eating something that had not agreed                           with her.  My concern was more about having to carry her up-stairs a lot more than usual and the problems with her back leg.  On a closer examination it was found that another small lump was starting to grow where the other one had been removed.  From time to time this was causing her some pain but at this stage I was told just to keep my eye out for any significant changes to it.  There was also another lump under her abdomen but again this was more of the wobbly cyst type.  Reassured I left with her having been given some tables for her sickness (which soon cleared) and some pain killers if I needed them for her leg.

I was worried, as I had noticed significant changes in her manners over the past few weeks.  A good friend of mine, Nicky Brock who lived on the Shoreham Beach told me that a dog will always tell you when the pressures of life are too much for them.  They look at you in a certain manner hoping that you will understand their wishes.  He had been the owner of a wonderful black Labrador telling me how he took her for her last walk along Shoreham Beach before taking her to the vets to say his goodbyes. It was the hardest thing he had ever done and cried for days afterwards.  It was like loosing your right arm.

The problem with pets is that you become so attached to them – from a kitten to a horse they are to the owners a source of deep comfort and companionship. The loss of one of them sometimes is very overbearing indeed. I was aware that Shelley had not reached this cycle in her life yet; however time was now of the essence for us to share some more happy moments together – and that I intended to do!                                                                                                                          

End of Chapter Thirty Two

BOAT SHOW AND AIRSHOWS – CHAPTER 33

Being a nautical dog Shelley liked to be seen around boats and to her all boat owners were friends being associated with her love of water.  One of their major pastimes is standing around talking about their interest in boats whilst doing very little else which gave Shelley time to make herself known to them. 

I have to be truthful in saying that when I go into a yacht club it is often like a golf club. There are playing members and social members.  Those that play sit in their groups talking about how good they are whilst the social members drink a lot more and feel that the club is theirs looking on any visitors as aliens.

There are again those that dress up in their blazers wearing their club tie with pride and love to see their names on the notice board or in the club newsletter.  They attend every function and join every committee but, as is often the case have little experience in the art of sailing.  If one thinks about it; how many lifeboat crews have members from sailing clubs – very few! 

At Shoreham it was nice to have free membership of the local yacht club.  They did support us well in raising funds and gave us the opportunity to use the club house for functions when required at no charge.  As crew members we used it from time to time mostly on a Friday evening after 9pm congregate in a corner of the bar and discuss the week’s activities having a few pints of beer. There were those members that would come over and chat to us such as Guy Meadows, Tony Boysons and Reg King. Meanwhile some other members would wonder why we were there; questioning our free membership. 

Those that know lifeboatmen and women are aware that most come from a solid background associated with the local community and say what they feel about the use of boats at sea and how they should be used.                    

This of course at times upsets some of the types of people who are members of yacht clubs.  The use of radios at sea is very important and if used properly on the right frequencies things should go to plan especially in an emergency.  There is nothing worse than an important frequency being blocked with idle chit chat about ones engines and how the party went on the night before.  Sadly this does happen.

Yacht and sailing clubs often have races off shore outside the harbour and along the coast; sometimes even cross channel events.  It was always a time to show off one’s yacht’s and one’s sailing experience. That is, until a squall came down the English Channel.  Then the maroons would go up and we would be out there towing in capsized dinghies to the safe haven of the harbour. It was fine as far as we were concerned and that’s why we were there most weekends during the summer at the boathouse.  On reflection though were we a rescue service for local sailing clubs – I don’t think so? 

Most clubs had their own rescue boats manned by crews that enjoyed the challenge of being at sea to do just that. Sometimes though, when we went out and they were also there, it seemed as though it was becoming an opportunity for them to try and prove themselves.  We kept our distance and watched. 

Shelley enjoyed the weekends at the boathouse as I mentioned earlier, but she also found it time to sit and reflect on what was going on around her. Chasing the odd gull from time to time or trying fathom out what swans were?   She enjoyed going with me to the yacht club.  In those days dogs were allowed only into the club house providing they remained at the foot of the stairs which in Shelley’s case was fine as she always got a welcome pat from members and a odd biscuit from her close palls when they went to and from the toilets, which some of the older members did more than others.  In the summer she stayed around the boat yard and spent a lot of time with her friend, Barry Curtis who had his small workshop on the premises.

This was bliss sitting by the door of his small unit watching him work on his boat and joining him for a nice cup of tea at regular intervals.       

Barry had a dog of his own that was always with him.  It was never on a lead he followed him everywhere - across main roads over zebra crossings and around the yard.  Later in life his dog’s back legs were to go which was one of the problems common to Alsatian Dogs so Barry made up a harness with two wheels which he would put on him and for a few more years he was to be seen with two front legs and two wheels which supported his back legs.

What a couple of wonderful characters they were – sadly Barry died of cancer at a far too young age and I will always remember his laughter and smile. I asked him once how he was getting on with his cancer treatment.  He replied. ”I have one of two options – I will be here in six months time or come back to haunt the miserable sod’s who did not return the drink I bought them.”

Southampton has a large boat show once a year and Peter, Chris and Mike decided it would be a nice day out so we both joined them. On arrival I found that dogs were not allowed in but after a bit of nice persuasion Shelley was allowed providing she was kept on a lead.  These sort of large events were fine if you were going to buy a new boat or look at the latest technical gear.