Shelley the Lifeboat Labrador (27 page)

As the sun began to rise over Shoreham I decided that Shelley had to go to see the vet again as over night her problems had become major and I could see she was in some real pain.  Her breathing was irregular and she kept coughing a lot.

I dressed and carried her down the stairs putting her into the back of my car. I recall what Nicky Brock said to me about taking his Labrador for a walk to the beach and downs and decided to do the same.  We first of all drove to the Downs that overlooked Lancing College and the airport. The sky was blue and my car was the only one in the small car park.  I opened the back door and helped Shelley out and we both went and sat on a nearby bench.  There was a little brass plate on the back saying it had been put there in memory of one of the residents of Shoreham who had spent many happy hours at this spot. I have always thought this was a good idea as it gave something back to the community.

The light aircraft were landing at the small airport and the pupils of Lancing College were out in the playing fields participating in rugby and football.  Around the college fields the many trees looked bare with a few old rook nests built in the most precarious of positions.  In the distance you could hear the guns going off on what must have been a local shoot as the pheasant season was on us once more.  The A27 motorway was busy as it normally is this time of day being the main costal road link crossing the Adur River which was at low tide showing its muddy banks which Shelley had in the past enjoyed on the bath tub days.

I lifted her up as she lay next to me with her head resting on my lap very content. It is as though she knew it was her last visit to this beauty spot.  I was reflecting on the many happy times we had had together thinking about the miles of travel we had done and the wonderful people we had met.  

Putting her on the front seat of my car I drove to Shoreham Beach parking at the harbour entrance by the now closed coastguard station.  The tide had started to turn since we left the downs and a couple of small coasters were preparing to lift anchor and make their way into the harbour via the lock gates.

She was fascinated by ships and the activities then went on around the small port of Shoreham.  The lifeboat station was to the left of us across the estuary with the boathouse doors closed. Jack the mechanic was there as his car was parked in its normal place.  She did manage a walk with me to the small jetty where a couple of fishermen were set up for the day with their rods hoping to catch something.  I could never get interested in this pastime but I have to admit it did always look very relaxing.

Back in the car we drove along the seafront road past the long empty beach and up market properties that graced its shore.  Shoreham Beach is very nice; however it was out on a limb as you had to drive around the town and over the river to get to it.  Moored along the river bank though were some very old boats that had been turned into homes. Second World War torpedo boats were mixed with the odd converted tug and old cruisers that had long passed their sell by date.  There was a path in front of them so pedestrians could always walk along – a pastime which Shelley used to enjoy in her younger days.  They seemed to attract a hippy arty type of person including a couple of wayward jazz musicians whom I had met in the Marlipins pub several times. One chap called Richard had the largest collection of jazz records I had seen outside London.

I recall one day Richard returning from work to find his boat had sprung a leak and was half submerged in the river.  He was a highly respected school teacher.  Listening to jazz was his main interest.  Poor chap – to come home to this vast collection floating around in the hull of his waterlogged boat.  For the next few weeks it was not uncommon to see a clothes line across the upper deck with LPs hanging there to dry after he had given them a good wash. It did convert him to using CDs as he started to replace his collection on a regular basis much to the pleasure of the local record store. 

He was one of Shoreham’s well established characters and sadly one evening he was attacked for no reason in a pub whilst having a drink on the way back home.  He was rushed to hospital and died a few weeks later of severe head injuries in a special neurological unit at Salisbury.  The culprit was caught the evening of the incident and duly given the maximum sentence. It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  It really caused a lot of up-set to the residents of this small fishing resort and proved how a community can help each other when problems do occur.

We drove through the town past the Royal Sovereign pub and around the yacht club car park – without stopping - along the coast road to the lifeboat station.  Jack was there chatting to crew member Andy Mac who was also a local fisherman.  They could both see I was up-set and made me coffee.  Jack carried Shelley up the steps for me and she went to sleep by my feet whilst we chatted. They were good listeners that morning!  The tide was working its way up the slipway so I walked Shelley down to her favourite sport.  There was the normal amount of seaweed and the odd bit of rubbish including a milk carton written in French and a small stick which I gave to Shelley who sadly gave it one look then ignored it.

Jack was very kind and understanding and had known Shelley with his wife Peggy since I moved to Shoreham recalling the visit to Kent to Andy with some amusement. Taking me to one side he could see I was very emotional and offered to come with me to Hove to the vets.  I declined as I wanted to be with Shelley myself.

Collecting her I put her in my car and we drove along the front past Hove Lagoon and the beach huts which was her favourite play area when we first moved to Sussex.  Turing off the road we stopped outside the property where I had my first bed-sit which had been our initial home together since our move. The Fogels still lived there as their car was parked on the small drive in the normal manner taking up two spaces which often caused me frustration many a time having to park my car in the road.

It was not long before we pulled up outside the veterinary surgery. I had phoned earlier and John Baber’s wife who was also receptionist.  She said not to worry and to come any time I wanted.  We sat in the car together for about ten minutes where I hugged Shelley crying onto her soft coat whilst talking to her. 

She knew that it was time to part and I carried her into the waiting room which was empty.  The walls had images of dogs on large posters given to the practice by one of the veterinary drug companies. The table in the centre of the waiting room had copies of many regional magazines on show.  Do you realise that publishers of these magazines reckon that each copy is read seven times. It is the interest in the many properties that are for sale that none of us can afford alongside adverts for up market kitchens and furnishings that make them popular.  It bought back memories of our first visit to the vets in Suffolk – how well I remember the surgeon’s words – he was so right Shelley did turn out to be a wonderful dog and without any doubt we had a relationship that none could have bettered.

John came out to greet us and carried Shelley in putting her on the small examination table. The surgery was clean and tidy with lots of cupboards containing drugs and instruments. He was a very understanding Vet and had looked after Shelley all the time we had lived in Sussex.  He had a thorough check over and as expected did advise me that she was suffering very much now with pain caused through her back legs.  Her heart had enlarged and she was producing a lot of fluid on her lungs which was causing her to bring up a lot of bile. It was time for her to be put to sleep and John explained just what would happen; which I knew from my many years of selling to veterinary practices.  I had seen many a dog owner myself crying in surgery waiting rooms and now it was my turn.                                                                                                

I don’t know why but I just broke down running out of the surgery to my car where I sat howling buckets. John’s wife came out and had a chat to me saying not to worry and if I wanted to I could drive home and they would look after Shelley.  I came back in with her and gave Shelley a big kiss and hug – she already had an initial injection so was very sleepy.  I left getting into the car and drove off through Hove.  I remember stopping at some traffic lights seeing the couple in the next car alongside me looking in amazement as I cried uncontrollably.

Driving along the front I stopped by Hove Lagoon and walked around finding a bench to sit on where I tried to take stock of the situation.  There was a chap with a radio controlled model boat and he came up to me asking if I was well. I explained what had happened and he assured me all will be fine later. He and his late wife had lost several dogs over the years saying it wouldn’t be long before he reckoned I would get another one.

I drove into Shoreham and parked my car. Gay who lived in the flats came up to me and gave me a big hung.  She could see I had Shelley’s collar and lead but no dog and had put two and two together. I went up to the flat and burst into tears on seeing her rug and toys – but decided to keep them there.

I could not sit in alone and went out for a walk calling in to the Royal Sovereign where Ron gave me a comforting drink and Judy his wife came and sat with me.  It did not take long for the ‘bush telegraph’ to start up and before I knew it Peter Lowe from the lifeboat came in and said he would spend the rest of the day with me (taking time off work).  Harry was very comforting telling others as he went around his normal walkabout from pub to pub.  Peter was great and made sure I had a drink keeping his eye on me all the time.

Someone found Molly telling her and she tracked me down joining me for a comforting chat.  She had been through the mill herself when she lost her dog several years ago and they had to send out a massive search party to find her. Friends just seemed to come out of the woodwork and before I knew it the afternoon was turning out to be a mini wake for dear old Shelley.

My boss Keith phoned me and told me to take a few days off work and if I wanted to, was to drive up to his house and spend some time with his family.

Brenda came down in the evening and was very supportive offering to take me out for a meal – which was the last thing I needed.  I stayed out until closing time and then Peter came back to my flat with a couple of other friends and we had some more beers whilst listening to some nice jazz.  I must have fallen asleep as when I woke up it was about 4am and they had gone switching of the lights and music.

Next day was terrible waking up with no Shelley around and feeling slightly worse for wear.  I was totally lost and did not know what to do with myself.  I got in the car and drove to Brighton where I had a walk around and went to the cinema – something I had not done for a long time.  It proves how much I have must have enjoyed it as I still can’t remember what the film was!

Over the next few days things began to get better. The postman bought some very nice warm letters from many friends. I returned to work in a very empty car which still had Shelley imprinted all over it.  I kept expecting her to pop her head over the back seat, give the odd bark and be there when I returned from making a call to a client.  She was not!                                           

End of Chapter Thirty Six

THE FUTURE – A NEW FOUND LIFE - CHAPTER 37

I shall never forget the last day I took Shelley down to the lifeboat station. It has stayed etched in my mind.  Attachments to pets are different from those to human beings – I don’t know why.  It just develops once the initial friendship has been made and seems to get stronger the more time you spend together.  I had to make up my mind what to do, not only about getting another dog but about what I wanted to do with my own life.

It was not too long before I was knocking on the door of a local pet rescue centre and I soon acquired a new pal who I called ‘Solo’, again named with links to jazz. He helped to fill the great void left by Shelley and so we carried on with life together.  There were lots of new adventures and lots of new friends to be made.  Following Solo there was Gerry then Butch. Now there is Bobby the Labrador with his pal Mickey the cat.

My interest in the RNLI has always remained.  I stayed a crew member at Shoreham for several more years and then moved on, still keeping my contacts with some of the friends I had made there. 

My career took a total change later in life.  This was due to the development of my photography which followed on after the ‘Red Arrows’ incident in Brighton. It gave me an opportunity to gain access to places that others could not visit and meet new people at the same time.  Attending Airshows was more of a purpose than a pastime and I travelled around the country when the opportunity was there visiting many of them.  I was able to get media accreditation for some of the events due to seeing several of my images published.