Published: October 03, 2008 11:02 am            

The tale of ‘Bad Blackie’

One fall day in the early 1960s, there was a rumor concerning a bad dog running wild in our delivery area. We were warned to be careful on our routes.

One morning as I was completing my route, a large, menacing, black dog approached me. I thought, “I’m going to be dog food!” Bad Blackie was walking towards me. I froze with fear and out of survival.

When said mean dog came close enough, he licked my foot! All he wanted was someone to play with and show affection. From then on, he met me and ran with me as I threw my papers. He met me at various points on my route.

Bad Blackie became my guardian angel. He was my buddy. Sometimes I’d bring him treats, such as dog biscuits or bones and scraps from home.

One funny thing about Bad Blackie occurred. Blackie only appeared with me. When I had someone with me to meet this so-called bad dog, he never showed! Once when my bike was broken, my mom drove me. I wanted her to see said dog. Of course, Bad Blackie was curiously absent. I thought about “Harvey” the rabbit in the famous Jimmy Stewart movie.

It was a paperboy and his dog. Sometimes it appeared he was checking to see where the paper went. Back then we had to porch it. If someone threatened me, Blackie would bare his teeth!

The neighborhood bully hassled me once. Of course Blackie wasn’t there. When the bully left, Blackie appeared. “Where were you?” I loudly exclaimed. He just looked at me. The strange canine tilted his head one way and lifted his ears as if to say “I’m sorry, pal.”

I could not get him to follow me home. Each morning, as I finished, he left the scene. Someone else needed him.

I remembered my sadness as he didn’t show one day. I never saw him again. I could only hope that he was safe and found his owner.

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Mark Fleischer is a Daily Sun carrier. His column appears on Sundays.

        

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