Heeling & Healing
Normally, the two young cousins walk at a leisurely pace on their way home from school. Today, however, they're racing. Joseph's parents have gone to the big city. They're away for a week and their grandparents are caring for the two boys. Joseph is nine and his older cousin Matthew is eleven. The boys are discovering a new form of entertainment: they're learning to make fun of old people.
For the past few months, Joseph’s family has been back on its heels financially. His father, Howie, works for Ontario Hydro, where he recently suffered a severe injury on the job. The femur bone in his right thigh (notably, the strongest bone in the human body) sustained multiple fractures when the hydro pole he was climbing came down in a storm. The upcoming medical procedure scheduled in the city, will allow surgeons to remove the hardware from Howie's his right leg.
So, Howie and his wife Kathy are making the trek from their home in Ear Falls to the Regional Health Sciences Centre in Thunder Bay, 400 km to the south. They've packed the F-150 with enough clothes, snacks and reading material for the week. With Howie's leg immobilized, Kathy's doing the driving. Kathy jokes that her husband has more nuts and bolts inside him than the hardware store in Ear Falls.
Back at home, grandparents Walter and Barbara are in charge. Matthew is staying over as well, just to keep Joseph company. The grandparents love looking after the kids. Spending time with the boys is a lot of fun.
Meanwhile, on their trip home from school, Matthew and Joseph increase the pace. Fast walking becomes jogging, then finally an all-out sprint as they approach the house. They take cover in the tall grass near the yard to avoid detection. Slowly, they raise their heads and scan the horizon.
"There they are, over there!" exclaims Matthew in a maximum whisper.
"Where? I don't see!" exclaims Joseph. Pulled to the ground with Matthew's hand over his mouth, he's quickly 'shsssh'd'.
Grandpa Walter recently announced his aim to educate the family's pet German Shepherd, 'Princess'. The boys know it's impossible. Princess doesn't listen. She plays and chews shoes. Today however, there will be dog training. The boys have rushed home to witness the event. They're excited to observe firsthand, a real-life exercise in futility.
"Heel!" commands Walter, stepping forward. With a sharp tug on the dog's leash, he advances several paces and repeats the order... "Heel!"
Princess lags behind, steps slowly and cowers slightly... so begins the forced march.
The boys roll onto their backs, sliding back down into the tall grass. They bite the knuckles of their hands and giggle.
With an oblique demonstration of military form, Walter straightens his posture. He stumbles slightly, re-balances, then takes several short strides. He snaps to attention and issues a new command... "Sit!"
Princess lies down.
The boys collapse in a fit. Chickens in a nearby coop react to the commotion. Quickly, Matthew and Joseph recover and soldier-elbow-crawl back up the hill to the best vantage point.
"Heel!"... a tug on the leash, several steps forward, snapping to attention. "Sit!"
Princess, confused, ears pinned back, tries desperately to wag just the tip of her tail.
Hysterical, the boys grapple and pound each other's arms to subdue themselves. The chickens raise the decibel level.
"Heel!" tug on the leash, step forward, snap to attention... "Sit!" (bewilderment).
"Heel!" tug, step, attention... "Sit!" (uncertainty).
"Heel!" tug, step, attention, "Sit!" (confusion).
Princess struggles to make sense of the situation, whimpering at a frequency only other dogs can hear. The cousins retreat into fetal shapes. "I'm going to pee my pants," declares Joseph.
Dog training continues. Joseph and Matthew peek when it's safe and duck down when necessary to evade exposure. But laughing hard is exhausting. Matthew doubles over with a stomach cramp as the chickens' clucking increases in volume.
Grandpa Walter continues his goose-stepping around the yard and somehow, Princess manages to keep up. The poor dog's face however, bears a combined expression of bewilderment and terror. She slinks in the shadow of Walter, with a downward gaze, her legs trembling with each tentative forward stride.
"...Sit?" implores a weary Walter. Princess obeys the command and slowly sits down. She steals a peek upwards toward the task-master. Walter blinks in disbelief. He calls it a day and lets Princess off the leash. He finds satisfaction in this small victory.
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"How was school?" the boys' grandmother Barbara asks that evening at dinner.
"It was good." offers Matthew, dipping his spoon into his vegetable soup.
"Take bread" shouts Walter from the other end of the table.
"Yes... take two pieces," suggests Barbara. "Have the last end one... please, take the heel piece too."
Upon hearing the word 'heel', the boys make eye contact. Giggles ensue, followed by a glare from Walter, at the far end of the table. Silence follows. With a smile, Barbara announces, "They phoned today from the hospital. The doctors say the operation went well." Both cousins nod in quiet confirmation but focus on their soup. Warm, thick vegetable soup soothes aching stomach muscles.
"That's good," yells Walter, "Now your papa's leg can HEAL!".
A quick glance and vegetable soup sprays from Joseph's nose. In a heartbeat, the boys vanish. They flee in opposite directions. One bolts for the kitchen. The other heads to the bathroom. Muffled hysterics seep back from their respective sanctuaries.
Walter squints, "Someone called from another town. They're missing their village idiots."
"Ahhh, I don't think so,” sighs Barbara sympathetically, “They’re worried about Father.”