Barnstorming Heart

49 years past; a puppy was bought, picked up out of his pen on a pet shop floor; he had honey brown eyes & an inquisitive way. He grew to be so loyal and true, how can I say, with just one blaze of white upon his chest. Mark Twain coined a saying that describes him best, “he had overlong ears for his compact body size, a sort of long legged corgi that was big on surprise.” Many was the fight in which he'd be in yet 'Black Prince' had no fear that I'd ever seen, I'll tell you right now we can all learn today, from his tenacity; great heart & true winning way. Dad showed him to walk a step-ladder of wood, so up onto the back of our red Dodge he would.' We painted both sides of it black in his honour a hand width in on the steps each side, on it he'd go the Dodge truck to ride; through city & towns walking the outside paint drum line, up and down. A year plus was past along with the jobs that we'd done, now we were getting some notice the whole road along, some people pointed some folks would wave, cars sounded horns we were rather amazed. Dad said “you'd think they'd never seen a truck and a trailer in all of their days born.” Then one day at a gas station a man chanced to stop blowing his horn. He said “Hey you're the crew with the red truck; the black dog rides a'top,” Yes that was right he'd lay on the drum tops. “Well” said the guy “I'll bet you can't see; he goes away up on the cab riding free. I've seen him a few times and thought you did know he lays just above the windscreen head down & with paws out like so.” On close inspection of the cab roof, claw marks were seen; as a record of truth, here Prince had been.' We a kept a large ladder the round rung type that ran from tailgate to roof; what was this dog like? We looked at each other and after a think, “Dad how dare-devil is this dog?” I said “who won't blink.” In fear for him we decided a collar and chain; to keep him safe, that was our aim. For Dad drove up to 70 mph in those old days, on wild mountain passes and many freeways. Now we did some more runs, he had much shortened reach, we heard him clank up the big roof ladder inch by inch, all went OK up till the hairpin bend, a truck swerved toward us and Dad turned hard around him, Prince was agile, our help was the fault. The chain was a bad thing, there was a loud yelp as poor Prince hurtled down past; straight out of his collar & my heart was beating so fast, we pulled to the roadside and searched the steep mountain pass. He was recovered bruised and battered, but still alive, we wrapped him in a blanket and put him inside, he recovered to ride on the paint drums again, but never for the cab roof would he aim.' ©Joe Maverick 5-7-2017