We moved from the countryside to the city in 1975. That year, we bought a house at a crossroads on the edge of town. But it came with quite the surprise! Like all country folk back then, people helped one another as much as they could, and my parents were no exception. So when the previous owners asked if they could stay for a few weeks in what was now our new home, while they sorted out some paperwork, my parents agreed.
Those people had a very large and rather bad-tempered dog. We didnt want to let her inside because she didnt recognise us. Even now, I still remember that dog.
A week went by, then a second, now the third, and the former owners were still lounging in bed until midday, barely going out, and honestly, it didnt look like they planned on leaving anytime soon. The worst part was how they behaved, as if they still owned the placeespecially the previous owners mother.
Time and again, my parents reminded them of the agreement, but their departure was always postponed.
Each day, they let their dog roam the garden. Not only did the dog make a mess wherever she pleased, but my siblings were too scared to go outside. The dog lunged at anyone in sight. My parents repeatedly asked them not to let her out, but the minute Dad left for work in the morning, and my brother and sister went off to school, the dog was out in the yard again.
Ironically, it was the dog who finally helped Dad get rid of those inconsiderate people.
One day, my sister returned from school and, forgetting the dog, opened the gate straight away. The hulking black dog knocked her to the ground, and were it not for the sturdy fabric of her duffle coat, she might have been badly hurt. As it was, only her coat was ruined. They chained up the dog, blaming my younger sister for coming home early.
And then the evening chaos began! Dad rushed home from work and, not even bothering to take off his coat, promptly showed the woman out to the street, still fully dressed. Quickly, her daughter and son-in-law dashed out after herwithout waiting to be shown the door more forcefully. All their belongings were thrown over the garden fence, landing in the mud and puddles.
They even tried to sic the dog on Dad, but she, taking in the scene, just wagged her tail and cowered in her kennel. She clearly had no intention of causing trouble. Within the hour, all their things were out, the gate was locked, and the dog sat behind the fence with her owners, surrounded by a heap of their possessions.
