Kindness

I wasn’t going to publish the following story but I've had second thoughts! Last Sunday Jennifer left home at 09.30, just after I got back from Church. She was going to help Charles move his stuff from his house in Bath to his new home in Bristol. So, I was left in charge of Cali and her nine puppies. I was told that the shopping was being delivered between 12 and 2pm. So, at 11am I thought I’d better make a start on giving the little ones a bath. So, with many towels over our bed and the hairdryer (which they love) at the ready and the bath run, I started with number one. At the start I could see this was not a job to be rushed. First puppy washed and dried and placed in the whelping box with clean vet bed and the heat light on. So far all was going to plan! I really was enjoying myself, no distractions and the smell of puppies in the air. Just as I took puppy number four from the bath BANG BANG BANG on the front door. Puppy number four was wrapped in a huge bath sheet and I trundled down the stairs to see who had come to visit. To my horror standing on the doorstep was a young chap with our shopping. I knew I had not rushed but how could it be 12pm? I thought he’d made a mistake and come early. It was 12.10pm and I had been in paradise talking to myself and to the puppies I had lost all track of time. I asked if he could come back as I was very busy. He looked at the “bundle” I was holding and just as he was about to ask what the problem was, a beautiful golden head popped out of the bath sheet. This chap just melted and asked how old they were. Three weeks today, I said proudly. I said I was alone and had five more puppies to clean. Like a shot he said “no problem, I’ll put this inside and leave the frozen stuff in the van, I’ll give you a hand, I’m running early and have time”. I said, what qualifies you to help with these puppies? He said “I work for a charity in the week that trains dogs for disabled people and only do this at the weekend. True to his word and my utter amazement he placed all the shopping from the boxes on the table and asked, “ok, where’s the action taking place” I was paralyzed with his kindness and told him, upstairs. I didn’t want to lose the “slot” for the delivery and he looked such a nice guy, I said shut the door and follow me. We went up the stairs and into the bathroom; I told him I was just about to dry this little fellow off in the bedroom. OK he said, you wash I’ll dry! He took number four from me and went to the bedroom and without any hesitation started to towel dry the puppy and then found the hairdryer and started to blow dry the puppy. I went into the garden and picked up number five and carried on as before but with help! Half an hour later the job was finished and all 9 puppies were clean and perfect. We both finished putting the shopping away and I thanked him for all the help. He was a true professional and knew exactly what he was doing. He was so gentle and calm and I couldn’t thank him enough. Cali was chuffed to bits, a new face and someone to fuss over her. Cali has never been up stairs as she has always been told that it’s not her territory and I don’t like the dogs coming down as they are steep and they might hurt themselves, but she was happy to wait at the bottom and wait for each puppy to be carried up and down and placed into the whelping box ready for a good feed. I gave the chap some honey (we keep bees) and he went off saying he’d try and get this round next Sunday! I can’t tell you his name or the company he works for, as his boss might not think the same way he did. As he left he did say, “thank you for letting me help, I so enjoyed it”. Sometimes we walk in shadows but them some kind soul lights it all up. The very last thing he said as he went to his van was “Every Little Helps”