Here's Alison: Trudie
Alison Ross tells a true story about a lost dog - and a man who wouldn't quit
He was to remember that time for the rest of his life. He had stood in the afternoon sunshine watching their three Jack Russell terriers hunting rabbits high on the hill above. They were very clever really, working as a team. Already they were making great inroads on the rabbit population.
He was thankful they would soon have them under control. Turning away, he went inside, leaving them to their hunting! The family consisted of a girl and three boys, all aged between 16 and 20. They had all the answers these days, not much a Dad could do to impress them! Middle age had caught up with him, after all! Adventures were long gone!
It was nearly dark when the youngest boy asked suddenly, "Where‘s Trudie?" The other two dogs were eating their tea, but Trudie, John‘s dog was missing!
It was already dark and the hills looming above them suddenly seemed strange and frightening They didn‘t know this land! It was an old mining area. Could there be mine shafts or Tomo‘s here? They had yet to know all it’s nooks and crannies!
John decided to ride the 50cc motor bike around the farm track encircling the hills, and look for his dog. No danger in that. He let the boy go!
Soon the lad returned, having called and called, to no avail! By this time it was after ten, so he insisted everyone should go to bed If Trudie wasn‘t back in the morning they’d have a good hunt and find her. Problem was, he thought, that might not be so easy.
By six next morning with no sign of her, they were all up and eager to begin their search. It was a very long and exhausting day. Hopes diminished slowly as the hours of back-breaking slog followed The farm was virtually l000ft from sea level at the top of the hill known as Gentle Annie.
They pushed through the scrub climbing higher and higher until they seemed eyeball to eyeball with the top of the mountain some 60 kilometres away. Near the peak they found some dug out earth with a rabbit hole in a small bank. The lads called and called. They even tried to interest the other two dogs in the rabbit hole, but they just werent interested.
A print showed clearly that one dog at least, had been there, but which one, and when?
So the day passed with quick stops for food and drinks, then back, always upward, searching areas they had missed. Finally he called a halt and with shaking legs the family descended to the sheds and caravan area below where they were living while the builders worked on their new house across the gully.
It was 9 pm and the light had finally gone Tomorrow would be another day. The family were in bed by ten. John called to his father "Dad, if only I knew she was dead, I could handle it. Its not knowing that gets to me"
They slept deeply, their bodies sore from the use of muscles they had had no call to use on the flat farm they had recently sold.
The father woke around midnight, thinking "If she is down some hole I might hear her barking in the still night air." He quickly pulled his dressing gown over his pajamas and slipped out of the caravan.
Slowly he walked up the hill stopping from time to time to listen to the night sounds. He could hear occasional cars travelling through the valley below, seeing their lights vanish in the distance, but there was no lonely dog barking on the hill.
Eventually the lights in the town below were extinguished. It was time to go back.
He stood on that high hill, with the moonlit panorama stretching out below him, feeling a deep sadness for his son. Where was the little dog? Some stubborn streak drove upwards to the top of the hill again. He would try one more time, checking the rabbit hole in the bank. Trudie had now been missing for thirty two hours.
Up there under the starry sky on the top of the hill there was still no sign of her. He felt he had failed his boy.
He called the dog's name, over and over, but heard nothing. He knew he should quit but he was deaf to reason. He felt the rabbit hole was his last chance.
He would never know why he did it but suddenly he jumped high in the air, landing with a thump on the bank above the hole. Then he dropped to his knees and pressed his ear to the ground.
He had asked for a miracle and he got it. He heard the faint whining cries of a dog. She was trapped in the rabbit hole.
He bounded down the hill to the shed far below. Grabbing a spade he climbed back to the summit and began to dig. After a while he encountered a piece of timber. With a heave he pulled it out - Trudie was free!
Immense relief flooded his heart.
He felt 10 feet tall as he and Trudie made their way down the hill to where his family were fast asleep.
