Buster

     The old farmer sat under a shade tree.  His days of working in the fields had since passed.  His corn and tobacco crops were shared with neighbor farmers.  They would come taking care of the crops on his farm and giving him half.  I guess you could say the old farmer had retired.  Taking it easy under his shade tree was all he ever seemed to do.  The farmer's wife had already passed away.  His children moved away to the city.  One would think he was alone.  But no, he was not alone.  There under the shade tree lay his trusty old red bloodhound.  The dog was not seeing a lick of work either.  When the old man retired, the dog had apparently done so too.  But then again, as a child growing up in the country and occasionally visiting the old man, I never saw either the old man or dog ever do much.  And now not doing much had gotten to be less. 
     Being young as I was, retirement was far from my mind.  Yet, I wondered if getting old was like this for everyone.  I should live as long to find out.  The old man's stories to a young child were entertaining.  He had seen so much in his lifetime.  He told stories, but then always came back to talking about his dog. 
     "Do you see Buster there lying on the ground?"
     "Yes!" I'd reply. 
     "If he could talk, he'd sure have some stories to tell."
     The old dog he called Buster never made a move.  He was asleep or possibly dead.  It was hard to tell. 
     "Don't let his sleeping fool you," said the old man.  "He's off chasing a rabbit."  He paused and continued.  "Did I ever tell you about the time Buster chased a bear?"
     "No, sir, you never told me."  In all the times I had walked home alone and through the fields, I never once saw a bear.  Our area of the state was not known for bears.  But I listened as the old man told of his being chased by a bear and it turned and ran away when Buster chased after it. 
     "Buster saved my life," said the old man. 
     He told so many stories of his dog Buster and the courageous acts he did.  The stories were hard to believe, especially when looking down each time at a motionless dog.  I continued to listen, though.  I think it gave the old man a reason to live telling such wild stories.  He would be lost if something should ever happen to Buster. 
     In time, the old man passed away.  The children came back to settle the old man's estate.  Under the shade tree they found Buster who had passed away shortly after the old man had.  In heaven, I could almost imagine Buster chasing a rabbit as the old man watched from his chair under a shade tree.  Or better yet, he was watching as Buster chased off another bear. 

Hachi: A Dog's Tale

     I never thought I would be touched by a story about a dog as much as I was the movie, Old Yeller.  But it happened!  The story I am writing about was a movie made in 2010.  I never knew when the movie hit theaters.  I don't go to the theater enough to keep up with releases.  I wait until a movie comes on T.V.  One night I saw this movie to be shown on regular T.V.  I sat down to watch it. 
     The movie did not appeal to me at first.  It was moving too slow.  But some of the names of the cast, Richard Gere and Joan Allen, had me sitting, watching, and hoping it would get better.  I am glad I did.  The end brought tears to my eyes. 
     The movie is an incredible story about friendship and love.  I don't plan to give away any of the plot.  If you are in the mood for a feel-good movie, take some time and see this movie.  It's definitely not a movie that you will make the statement afterwards, "That's two hours I will never get back."  In fact, it proves to be a memorable film.  It's two hours you'll keep.  It's a true story of faith, devotion, and undying love.  It's time and time again in your mind that you'll replay the scenes over. 
     Hachi:  A Dog's Tale is a great movie.  I think I'm back in high school writing a book report.  It's at the bottom of that book report that I comment to whether I recommend if someone read the book or not.  I write:  Yes, I recommend reading.  But in this case, I recommend seeing Hachi:  A dog's Tale.

Old Yeller

     In December of 1957, A Disney movie, Old Yeller, hit theatres.  I was in the fifth grade at the time.  My  teacher was paying for all of her students to go see the movie.  Things were a little different back then.  The class sizes were so small that the fifth grade and sixth grade were in the same room with one teacher, so both grade levels were going. Going to the movie was an easy sell to my parents as they weren't expected to pay for anything. All they had to do was sign a permission slip. On the appointed day, we all loaded onto a school bus and off to the theatre we went. 
     I assume this movie was to be some kind of teaching lesson.  It was treated as a field trip.  And after all these years, I believe it really was a teaching lesson.  I remember so well watching the movie and crying in the closing scenes when Old Yeller died.  Perhaps it helped develop in me my love for dogs that I have today.  We can get so attached to our pets.  I have that movie in my own DVD collection today.  I even loaned it out to my daughter for her children to watch it.  I have been known to watch it several more times myself.  I cry every time I see them put Old Yeller down.  I wonder how many of my old classmates remember the afternoon we went to see that movie.  After all, who could forget it? The lyrics to the song in the movie are so catchy.  I am hardly a film critic, but I highly recommend seeing it if you haven't.   I consider it one of the best movies I have ever seen. 
     With access to the computer, I went online and listened to the song once again.  The song says, "Old Yeller, come back Yeller.  The best dog gone dog in the west." I really didn't need to listen to the lyrics.  They are embedded in my memory from those days gone by, "Old Yeller, come back Yeller."