Third-year student Benjamin Carter was on his way back from visiting friends to his halls of residence. The hour was late; Ben was trudging through the quiet outskirts, winding past detached homes and overgrown hedges. Suddenly, a searing pain shot through his belly, as if he’d been walloped with a cricket ball straight to the stomach!
He doubled over, didnt have a moment to process what was happening, everything went black, and down he went
Ben was a local lad, born and bred in this very town, raised in a decent family. He had opted to live in halls, craving independencehe and his dad had butted heads over a few things, if were to put it politely. In realitytheyd spectacularly fallen out, and hadnt exchanged a word for over a year.
His mum had taken it hardthered been tears, pleading, the workstrying to patch things up. No luck. Father and son were peas in a particularly stubborn pod, both with personalities only a retiree from the Royal Navy could appreciate.
Ben rather liked hall life; he wasnt one to laze aboutalways hunting for an evening job. Hed a good few mates, and not just student onessome were old school friends, and even the neighbour lads from his childhood still got together for the odd knees-up.
And then there were the stray cats and dogs, Ben’s steadfast companions since childhood. Hed always sneak out sausages and bits of roast from the family kitchen to feed them. Now, round his halls, the local strays had it clocked: Ben would never return from a night out without a pouch of cat food or a mysterious packet for the dogs.
That evening, when their patron failed to turn up, the gang of strays dispersed to their various hideouts for the night. All except one black-and-white mongrel, who sat squarely by the hall door, keen eyes searching the road for that familiar figure. As dusk set, this devoted mutt trotted down the laneprecisely the way Ben usually came
The very first thing Ben saw when he woke up was his mums face: her eyes red from crying (and, lets admit, lack of sleep), but lighting up with her kind smile.
“Hello, love! At last! How are you feeling? Hang on, Ill fetch the doctor
From his mum, Ben learned hed suffered an attack of acute appendicitis and had passed out because of it.
Actually, it was peritonitis, corrected the doctor, popping in. Nasty business, let me tell you! Burst appendixso we had a good scrub-up of your insides, my lad. Lucky we got to you in the nick of time
Ben would have to spend about a week in hospital. One night, unable to doze off, he overheard the night nurse whisper to the cleaner in the hallway:
That lad nearly copped it, if not for the dog! Linda from the ambulance told mehe was sprawled in a ditch by the road, folk thought at first he was just some drunk. But this doghowling fit to raise the dead! When people started coming over, he went full bonkers, barking and grabbing their sleeves, basically dragging them straight to the boy! Can you imagine? That dog saved him!
Saved his ownerthe words echoed in Bens mind. He instantly knew who it wasthe energetic black-and-white pup hed nicknamed Jester. That dog could leap fences in a single bound. Sometimes, Jester would turn up and trot alongside Ben on his walk home, and Ben always wondered how the cheeky thing knew he was near. And now, thanks to his four-legged rescuer, Ben was alive.
The next day, both his parents arrived. His mother hovered, tucking in Bens blankets or dabbing his forehead. She couldnt stop chattering:
Sweetheart, when youre discharged, youll come home. You need a special diet, the doctors written it all down. Broths, porridge, everything soft and warmseven tiny meals a day! Forget your hallstill youre well, youre not going back, I wont allow it!
Ben was still wan and weak. He glanced at his father, who stood awkwardly by the window, seemingly terrified to meet his sons gaze. It had been so long since theyd spoken. They both regretted that yawning silence that stretched over a year between them.
Ben had lots of time to think, and that night he decided: hed apologise to his father, and to mum too, for causing her so much anguish.
Im sorry, Ben whispered, I was wrong. I was selfish and never stopped to see your side
Oh, darling, hush now! You need to rest. We love you. Your fathers missed you so muchhavent you, Mike? Mum warbled, glancing anxiously at her husband.
Dad turned away from the window and gave Ben a searching look:
Tessa, dont rush him. Let the lad speak, he said, quietly.
Ben closed his eyes, gathering courage. Hard to bring up the very thing that started it all
Hed dreamed of having a dog for as long as he could remember. But Dads firm NO was immovable while Ben was still a kid. Ben finished school, started uni, passed all his examsand brought it up again.
Still a wall of absolutely not. That was when the big row went down, Ben slammed the door, and that was thathe moved out. First couch-surfed, then got a place at halls.
Even there, dogs were out of the question (against the rules, you see). Ben often considered renting a little house so he could finally have Jester with him
In his heart, Ben already felt the dog was his. They had complete understandingone look, one wag. Now, Ben was lying in hospital, saved by Jester, imagining his friend waiting, hungry and lonely, back at the halls.
Putting aside all his pride and stubbornness, Ben said to his Dad:
Dad, I’m not asking to keep a dog in your flat, I understand nowits your home, your rules, and you dont want a dog. Thats fair.
Ben paused, talking was exhausting, but his dad listened silently. Mum, for once, kept quiet too. Her biggest wish was for father and son to just talk.
Im asking for help, Ben went on, My mates outside He saved my life. I cant abandon him. As soon as I can, Ill find us a place to live. But for now, he needs feeding. Hes down by the hallsa black-and-white chap, answers to Jester
Bens face was pale; sweat beaded his forehead. Mum wiped him down and promised right then and there to buy dog food, and Dad said hed take it over.
Dad, take my rucksackJesterll recognise the smell and know its me Ben murmured.
And thats how it all began. Fifteen years on, Jesters been my shadowhe patched things up between me and my folks, and later even introduced me to my future wife (we got our leads tangled up outside the bakeryher with her miniature schnauzer!).
My three sonsJesters had an eye on them all as they grew up And now youre telling me, just put him to sleep! No chance. Ill fight for his life till the very last minute!
Ben, surrounded by his three teenage sons, sat in the corridor of the vet clinic. Jester was in surgery, having a tumour removed. Despite his age, Ben had insisted on the operation, found the best vets, paid every last poundand now sat on tenterhooks, waiting for news.
Other clients, clutching cat carriers and leads, sat entranced by his tale, fretting with him, whispering words of encouragement.
So, how did it all end, the appendix story? asked one woman. How did you and Jester meet up after?
Ben grinned, cast back to that time:
Mum visited me every day in hospital, swearing Jester was well-fed and fine. On the day I was discharged, my parents picked me up in the carand blow me, there was Jester! Clean as a whistle, sparkling new collar and all. Turned out, Dad had brought him home that very afternoon, after wed talked.
I shuffled into the back seat, hugged my old friend, and Dad turned round and winked, Right then, off home to recover, yeah? And off we went
Everyone smiled, hugging their furry darlings tighter, large and small. Just then, the vet emerged:
Mr Carter? All went brilliantlyyour Jesters a legend! Hes coming out of anaesthesia now, Ill write up his care plan and youll be on your way.
Ben stood up, thanking the vet, and the whole corridor breathed a sigh of relief. An hour later, Benwith sons in tow, and Jester on their lapsleft the vets. Ben settled behind the wheel, turned around and said:
Well, off home then, eh? Time to get our strength back!
And off they went.
