Niggy The Hero ....!

 Having woken up, yesterday, in ultra light sensitive eyeball agony? I'm afraid all bets were off! Sod the cow shed wall. That'd get sorted another time. Frankly? I just glanced at the horses. Put Dingo and Rats on their chains and high tailed into town. 

 A visit to the Doctors. An eye patch. Some eye stuff. A full course of anti biotics. And a stern warning that, if the eye isn't getting better by the morning? I damn well head straight to Sligo and show A & E the letter in my pocket. 

 That, or I stand to lose the fucking eye!!! 

  Thankfully, the eye drop stuff is patently fantastic gear in itself. Because the guys in the pub said they were seeing improvements every time I lifted the patch for them to have another look at it. 

 And, as I type this? It now feels just a little tender and sore. It's not weeping a river any more either. Which is good. Because it means I can easier tell ye about Niggy. le Ding's ~ and my ~ hero of the day.


 Came home in the taxi and was greeted, at first, by relative silence. Most strange. But, I was listening out for Orange Dog, more than anything. Rats was yapping. That was fine. But, I wasn't hearing Orange Dog.

 Then she kicked off. Obviously just been fast asleep in here, as befits her age and station. All was well. le Ding, I noticed, was round behind his house. The end of his chain pointing in that direction. Nigger was ..... Where was Niggy?

 And, come to that; What was keeping Dingo Dog? Why hadn't he reappeared instantly, to shout for his dinner? What the ....?!

  I couldn't believe the state of the split link which was all that was left of le Ding's elaborate chain set up. How the fuck could he possibly have wrenched That open. Past all those swivels and the J.C. Conner 'T Bar' Shock Spring'

  No time to stand about thinking. I rang Eddie. le Ding always made a bee line up west. Eddie hadn't seen him. Cool. Meant he was probably caught up, somewhere between our properties.

 I crawled into the upper ditch and emerged to walk to Eddie's. Even checked Noel's sheds, beyond. Nothing. No sign. But, if he wasn't snagged on his way there. And he wasn't there. Where had he gone and where was he now?

 As I short cutted back down through Pat's Hill Meadows, I was desperately surveying the vast landscape. Thinking of road traffic. Zealous farmers with shotguns. Dingo Dog caught up somewhere. Out of sight and helpless.

 Back here and I stopped, to regain my composure and bearings. 'Plan A' had flopped. I needed to figure out Plan B. And quickly. So, slow down. Calm down. Think:

 le Ding was gone. Somewhere. Finding him was the objective. Got that.

 Orange Dog had been asleep. Nothing does, or ever should, concern the Orange Dog. Fine.

 Niggy. Where was Niggy, when I came home? He took a minute to respond to my calls. What was keeping him?

 Nig's a Black Labrador. He has the nose of a Field Trial Champion. Of course! " Niggy? Where's Ding, Ding?! Show me! "

 And off he went! Round the side of the cottage. Under that offensive hedge that nearly took my eye out ..... I figured he was heading for Eddie's field and on up to his place. Thus I made a dash for the back gate. To watch where he went.

 He never emerged. I peered into the bushes surrounding 'The Ditch' and caught glimpses of both black and yellow fur! Heard a whimper and called out to let le Ding know I was coming .....

 And that's why Niggy Dog is a Hero. It was only then I noticed the earth smear across the top of his muzzle too. Don't know what he'd been up to. But, he's never had that before. 

 I figure he'd been trying to somehow unhitch le Ding's chain. The chain which, mercifully, had acted like a trappers drag. Caught up in the first obstruction Dinger tried to pass through and held him there. 'Safely'. He hadn't got ten yards.

 And, if it weren't for Niggy showing me where le Ding was hidden? I'd have spent god alone knows how many hours, circling this place for miles around. Searching, phoning, praying ..... 

In my stress I'd never have thought to check that stupid little clump of bushes. I'd have been patrolling ditches far and wide.

 But, Niggy came through for us. Little Hero!

Brothers In Arms