I dont want a paralysed child said the daughter-in-law, and with that, she stormed out. She had no idea what would come next.
In a quiet English village, lived an ordinary elderly man. On weekends, he’d have a glass of gin or two, nothing more. His dream was to own a dog, but not just any doghe wanted a pedigree English Mastiff. He dreamt of travelling all the way to London, if thats what it took, just to buy one and bring it home.
The villagers called him Old Dennis. Some said it was his first name, others thought it was his surname; no one knew for certain. Dennis, or maybe Mr. Dennis, everyone addressed him that way and he never corrected them. After tending his vegetable patch, Dennis would sit on the bench by his garden gate, thinking about younger days. Sometimes the village youth gathered nearby, keen to listen to stories of how things used to be.
Dennis had buried his wife a long time ago. Her name was Mildred, and she had a bad heart. Doctors had forbidden her from having children, but she wanted a baby more than anything. She gave Dennis a son and was never the same; she became very ill. Dennis adored Mildred and would do anything for her, even refusing to let her carry the groceries home. “You mustnt,” he insisted, “doctor’s orders!”
He did all the housework and cared for the baby himself. Mildred often fretted, “Youre making me look useless! The other women will laugh, say Ive got you doing everything!” But the village women werent laughingthey envied her. “Oh, Mildred! Lend us your Dennis for a day; Id love a taste of your life!”
Mildred would only smile in reply, and with that gentle smile, she left this world. Dennis found her cold one morning and wept for three days before pulling himself together for his son.
His boy was just reaching that difficult agefourteen. After leaving the army, the son married early and stayed in the city where he’d served. So Dennis was left alone, but he kept cheerful, enjoying chats with the village youth on his bench.
Later, his son had a daughter. Dennis was always waiting for them to visit, but something always got in the waywork, lack of time, one thing or another. He had only seen his granddaughter in photographs.
Then people noticed Dennis looked more downcast than a raincloudno smile, no jokes, not even sitting on his bench. Villagers asked what had happened and soon learnt Dennis had received a telegram: his family had been in a car crash. His granddaughter was in critical condition in hospital, and his son had died.
This is tragedy, real heartbreak! the whole village sympathised. But what could anyone say to ease such sorrow?
Dennis listened to condolences, but nothing lightened the weight of his grief. He mourned for his son, of course, but nothing could bring him back, and his heart broke more for his granddaughter, lying in hospital at just fifteen years old. She should have been living life to the full, Dennis thought.
Most painful of all, he heard nothing further from his daughter-in-lawno letters, no replies to telegrams, wouldn’t even answer the phone. How could he find out how his granddaughter was? Hed never met her in person, yet loved her as fiercely as if he had. From the photos, she reminded him of Mildred in her youth.
Dennis finally decided hed travel to the city where his son had lived. But then, on the eve of his journey, a car pulled up outside his house. People carrying a stretcher marched in; a woman burst through his door without knocking. At first Dennis didnt register that this was his late sons wife. Following her, they brought in the stretcher with his granddaughtershe was placed on the sofa and the strangers left.
Shes paralysed, head to toe. I dont want a child like that. Ill rein marry, have a healthy child some day! the daughter-in-law announced coolly.
Im no doctor! Dennis managed to reply, stunned.
She doesnt need onedoctors cant help her; she needs a carer. If you dont want to bother, just bury her alive. But Im not ruining my life for her. Im not her nurse! With that, she slammed the door and disappeared.
Youre no mother to her! Dennis shouted after her, but she was gone.
Now Dennis understood why his son hadnt brought the family to visit. With a wife like that, all he could expect was arguments in the market, never peaceful family gatherings. How had his son ended up with someone so heartless? But these thoughts were useless now. If only he’d known what sort of mother shed turn out to be, hed be turning in his grave.
So Dennis and his granddaughter were left alone together.
The girl was indeed completely paralysed. But Dennis was used to caring for others, managing the house himself for years. Now, at least, he had purposeto heal his granddaughter.
The doctors had given up hope and discharged her. They couldn’t even explain how shed survived the crash at all; her injuries should have been fatal. Now there were only old remedies and folk healers to try. The nearest healer lived miles away, far beyond walking distance. Dennis couldnt carry a paralysed child so far, and the healer was too old to travel herself. What could he do?
Almost every week, Dennis drove out to see the healer. She prepared herbs and tinctures for the girl. Thats how he treated her. More than a year went by; still, she couldnt move her arms or legs, lay in bed like a log beneath the blanket. Even speaking was difficultshe could only grunt and moan.
Occasionally, Dennis would see tears rolling down her cheek, which felt like a knife to his heart. He thought she missed her parents. Hed read her stories and talked to her for hours, but she could never answer back. It was hard for both of them.
Then one evening, something unexpected happened. As Dennis sat by her bedside, a drunken mob of village lads burst in. Dennis had forgotten to lock the door. The group had just returned from a pub night, saw his light on, and knew about the paralysed girl inside. Someone suggested going in for some funshe wouldnt resist, they reckoned.
Come on, old man! Pull off her blanket, spread her legswell cast lots for who goes first! ordered the most belligerent.
Have mercy! Shes only fifteen! Dennis pleaded.
Just let me brush my teeth! said Dennis cryptically, hurrying to the kitchen. There, he flung open the cellar door and cried, Go get them!
Out bounded an enormous Mastiff, grabbing at trousers left and right! The leader almost lost everything, and the others had their trousers torn to shreds. They dashed half-naked through the village, how the neighbours laughed, and the Mastiff chased them right to the outer fields.
Dennis came back to the roomand there was his granddaughter, sitting up in bed, shouting through the window: Buster! Buster! Grandpa, hold him back so he doesnt run off!
Dennis burst into tears of joy. From that night forward, the girl began recovering. Soon she was able to walk, whether it was the healers herbs or that sudden shock. And she talked non-stop, making up for lost time.
Where did the dog come from, you ask? Its simple. The Mastiff, Buster, had belonged to Denniss son. After the tragedy, the uncaring daughter-in-law abandoned both her child and the dog. Shed brought Buster along with the girl, but never told Dennis.
When the daughter-in-law left, Dennis went to close the gate and found the dog sitting there, thin and miserable, his eyes sad and crying real tears. Dennis hadnt even known his son owned a dog, but he couldnt let Buster stay out alonehe brought him inside.
Buster became Denniss faithful companion. On the day of the incident, hed been kept down in the cellar because of the sweltering summer weather. Dennis always put Buster there to keep him cool during the day, letting him out when evening fell. That night, Dennis hadnt yet let him out. If Buster had been in the house, those thugs would never have dared enter.
Later, the granddaughter told Dennis that when he saw her crying, she was longing for the dog. Grandpa usually kept Buster outside and never let him in her room, and she was desperate to see him but couldnt communicate it.
After chasing away the drunks, Buster returned home, delighted to lick his young owners face. Hed missed her too. So from then on, the three lived together: Dennis, his granddaughter, and Buster. They never heard another word from the girls mother.
