Margaret Evelyn was jolted awake at three in the morning by the persistent vibration of her old-fashioned mobile on the bedside table.
She blinked in confusion, bewildered at who could possibly be ringing at such an indecent hour, grabbed the phone, glanced at the screenand felt her heart lurch. Her son was calling.
Hello… Jamie, whats happened?! Margarets voice trembled with fear. Why are you calling so late?
Mum, sorry to wake you. Its just… I was driving home from work Jamie stammered, his voice shaky. And then… I dont know what to do
What then, love? Dont just sit there in silence! Do you want to give your mother a heart attack?
Shes… its lying in the road. Ive never dealt with something like this, Mum. What do I do? Im a bit all over the place here.
For a moment, only silence.
I dont understand Are you saying youve run someone over? Are they dead? Margarets voice broke, and the phone slipped for a moment in her trembling hands.
No, I dont think theyre dead, Jamie replied, trying to keep his voice steady. And it wasnt me who hit her. Its not a person either.
Not a person? Then what is it?
A dog looks like a German Shepherd. Shes still breathing, just about, but its heavy. What do I do, Mum? We dont have any all-night vet surgeries here. You always know what to do with animals more than I do.
Jamie gazed at the dog stretched out beside the kerb in the headlights glow, watching with aching worry as her chest rose and fell ever-so-slightly. She was breathing with effort, her eyes dark with sorrow, as if shed given up on life.
Shes breathing, at least So maybe theres hope, he thought, pressing the phone closer.
*****
Three days earlier.
Mum, are you at it again? Dont you have better things to do? Whats with all these cats? Jamie grumbled, popping by for a quick visit and finding his mother crouched beside the house, laying out cat food. She hadnt always been this soft-hearted.
But ever since shed retired, her affection for cats had blossomedmad, some would say. No normal person would behave this way, especially in plain sight.
Hello, love, Margaret straightened up and waved to him. You might have warned me you were comingId have cooked something nice.
Doesnt look like youve got anything leftlooks like the cats got the lot, Jamie snorted.
He genuinely didnt get itwhy pour her time, money, and energy into all this? She was always helping any stray she saw. Already there were four cats living with herfoundlings from the streets, rescued over the past year (to be precise, in just eleven months).
Youd think that would be enough. But Margaret showed no sign of stopping.
She kept feeding strays, day in day out.
She adored cats to distraction. But she wouldnt walk past a needy dog either. Even the pigeons scrabbling by the bins got a handful.
The other tenants in the building had started calling her Mother Theresa behind her back.
And Jamie couldnt stand it when he saw the neighbours pointing, snickering, and waggling their fingers at their temples as she passed.
Let them think what they want, love, Margaret said gently, when she caught his uneasy glance at the chortling neighbours. Theres so little kindness in this worldI want to try and spread just a bit more.
She looked at the cats gathered around her, greedily devouring their meal.
Just think what their lives are like, Jamie. All they ever see is a pavement and cold stares. I just want to give them a little scrap of love, so they dont feel like theyre completely unwanted. Remember what Grandma used to say?
Youve already got four cats, Mum. Isnt that enough? Jamie shook his head.
Its not about enough, son. If I had my way, Id give a home to every stray in Bristol. But the flats tiny, as you know, and my pension doesnt exactly stretch far. So I do what I canand lend a hand to the rest. Let them call me mad. I wont stop. People need to see the right example.
The right example?
Yes Maybe someonell see, maybe theyll think twice, maybe theyll do the same. Were responsible for those we tame. And were people, Jamie. Were meant to help the vulnerableno one else will if we dont.
Jamie triedtruly triedto understand. But he couldnt.
He still thought being so soft was well, a bit much, frankly. Its not like she was helping people in needthe homeless or lonely, say. These were just animals
He bore no ill-will against the cats or dogs in the neighbourhood.
He just felthow to put itnot to go overboard.
Yet three days later, everything changed.
That night, Jamie drove home from work long after midnight. Normally, hed clock off sooner, but a crisis at the office had kept him late.
Maybe that was a silver lining. He couldnt remember the last time hed cruised through the city at night.
He was a careful driveralways kept to the limitbut that night, he pressed the pedal just a little harder. When else would he get the chance for a joyride? Still, it was short-lived.
He braked hard as the headlights caught something sprawled on the tarmac.
Clenching the steering wheel tight, he stared through the windscreen for a long moment. The panic churned, then slowly ebbed away. He got out and hurried forward.
One look was enough: the dog had been struck, probably by another driver pushing their luck on the empty roadsa thrill-seeker, maybe even drunk.
But that didnt matter now. What mattered was helping this dog, somehow.
Jamie felt utterly helpless. No clever ideas would come. What could he dohed barely patted a dog in his life.
Thats why he rang his mum. There was no one else.
*****
Hello Jamie, is everything all right?! Margarets voice was filled with dread, as she answered her sons call at three in the morning. Why are you calling so late?
Mum, sorry to wake you. I was on my way back from work Jamie explained shakily, and then I just dont know what to do.
What happened, love? Out with it! Dont make your mother worry herself sick.
Shes lying in the road. Could you tell me what to do?
Again, silence.
Wait Are you saying you hit someone? Have you killed them? Margarets face went ashen, her hands shaking so much she nearly dropped the phone.
No, nodoesnt look fatal. And it wasnt me. And its not a person.
Not a person? Then who?
A dogGerman Shepherd, I think. But clearly a stray. Shes breathing, but very badly. What do I do, Mum? There arent any all-night vets around here. Any ideas? You know more about animals than me.
He looked at the battered dog, lying under the harsh white streetlights.
Her breath was shallow and rapidly fading. Big brown eyes clouded over with miseryit was as though shed made her peace with moving on.
At least shes breathing Maybe theres hope, he thought, clutching the phone.
Mum, what should I do? Jamie repeated, almost desperate. Do you know a vet wholl pick up?
No, love, I dont know any personally. And youre rightthe nearest emergency surgery is miles away, and the risks too great. Bring the dog here, Jamie. Right now.
To yours? Seriously?
Yes, really. Why are you surprised? Worried about what the neighbours will say again?
No, its just your four cats. How will they react to a dog? Wont it be chaos?
Thats the thing, son. Theyre cats, not crocodiles! Dont waste any more time. Get her carefully into the car and bring her here. Ill get things ready. Well help her as best we can.
*****
Half an hour later, Jamie hefted the wounded dog up the stairs to the fourth floor.
Hed ruined the car seats and his own clothes, but, for once, he couldnt care less. His only thought was that she might survive. He genuinely feared for her lifeas fiercely as he would for any person.
Here, love. Gently now, Margaret directed, beckoning him to the living room, pointing to the sofa covered with sheets shed never quite managed to throw out.
Margaret wasnt a vetin fact, shed never even volunteered at a surgerybut shed spent enough of her retirement at the local clinic to have picked up the basics. And that evening, it came in handy.
Jamie didnt just stand back either: he scoured the internet on his smart phone for advice.
Together, they managedeventuallyto stem the bleeding. The dog seemed to relax, her breathing easing ever so slightly.
Astonishingly, even the cats pitched in.
At first, they bristled at the new, oversized invader, but curiosity soon got the best of them. Before long, theyd curled up beside her, their purring thrumming through the room. Remarkably, the dog drifted off to sleepnot faded into unconsciousness, but genuinely asleep.
Margaret smiled at this little truce. The purring must be working its magic, she said quietly.
Mum, do you think shell pull through? Jamie asked, hand resting gently on the German Shepherds mottled flank.
Im sure she will, love, Margaret replied, exhausted but smiling. Her injuries arent that grave. And you know she peered searchingly at her sonif this splendid dogs awakened some compassion in you, then shes crossed your path for a reason.
Mum, I couldnt just leave her thereshed have died alone. That wouldnt be right, Jamie mumbled, a little embarrassed.
Thats it exactly, love. Three days ago, you couldnt understand why I cared for the street cats, but tonight here you aresleepless, hungry, and sitting up with a dog. Something tells me you wont chuck her back out either. Will you?
Jamie flushed, a strange warmth filling his chest. No, I suppose not
It felt oddly goodto feel human.
*****
At dawn, Jamie bundled the dog into the car and took her to the surgery. He arrived at opening time, and the queue outside parted without a word as he strode in, the big Shepherd cradled in his arms. He didnt even have to askthe kindness in their eyes said everything.
And in that moment, Jamie understood there was nothing wrong with caring for animalsthose who do, become better people for it. Kinder. More human. The vets soon got the Shepherd back on her feet, and Jamie gave her a simple, noble nameRalph. Every weekend now, Jamie visits Margaret, and they go walking together. Well, not togethermore like five or six of them
You see, along with Ralph, Margarets cats have taken to rambling in a proper family posse. No one tried to stop them.
Neighbours still gawped at the sightpointing, muttering, making their little gestures. But Jamie no longer cared.
He had Ralph to thank for thathis unexpected teacher in kindness. And he had Margaret, for showing him the way from the very start.
He even felt grateful to the people at the surgery queue, for their silent compassion. In that dawn glow, Jamie realisedthe world really could be a little kinder.
And whatever anyone might say now, he was determined, just as his mum was, to help those who needed it mostcat, dog, or human.
Thats how it went.
