'Black Velvet'
"If ever I laid eyes on a winner - that's him!"
Dr Jim Devine said nothing, but watched the dog being led around the enclosure; his shrewd eyes taking in the erect head, the broad shoulders and the sleek back. He liked what he saw in the young dog.
"He's out of Black Prince - a sure winner."
Dr Devine said nothing. It didn't pay to be too enthusiastic.
"I've heard that too often," he said, after a long pause. "And what's your price?”
"I'm giving him away at 500," his owner remarked. "And that's because we've had dealings in the past."
"Three hundred pounds - that's my final offer."
"You're a hard man, Dr Devine."
"But a fair one. Three hundred pounds in your hand. Is it a deal'?"
“You're getting him for nothing."
"Now you know I'm taking a big chance."
"I'm sure he'll do well. Good luck to you."
Over the next few weeks Black Velvet settled into his new surroundings. He became the centre of attention, as many of Dr Devine's racing cronies called to admire the new arrival, and offer advice.
Black Velvet instinctively knew that he was something special and put on a majestic air, when the need arose. He developed into a fine specimen of greyhound and soon established the pecking order amongst the other inmates of the kennels. He drew many admiring comments from the greyhound fraternity who were prepared to wait to see whether Black Velvet lived up to his early promise.
The doctor devoted as much time as he could to training Black Velvet, but, being a busy doctor, he had to entrust much of the work to others.
One of these was Charlie Woods. What Charlie Woods didn't know about dogs, or their owners, wasn't worth knowing. He also had an intimate relationship with the natural brew and he spent a lot of his time getting to know it even better.
So it just had to happen that Charlie took over exercising Black Velvet.
"Now he needs plenty of exercise - and be here early in the morning," Dr Devine warned.
"Just leave it to me, Dr Devine."
"The early morning walk will do you good, too, Charlie," Dr Devine added, as he looked at the bloodshot eyes and caught a whiff of stale whiskey.
But Charlie and Black Velvet were heading for the street leading to the open road out of town.
Charlie and the dog quickly developed an uncanny understanding. Black Velvet would immediately sense Charlie's mood and adjusted his pace accordingly. He knew immediately the state of Charlie's head and whether he had indulged, too liberally, the previous evening.They often took the path along the river bank. Here, on a bushy knoll, lived John McKenna, a retired clock-maker. His door was always closed, but old John was up and about, every morning, judging by the smoke climbing from the chimney and the sweet smell of bacon which engulfed them.
"Make you hungry - the very smell of it."
Black Velvet licked his lips and strained at the leash.
"That's all we have for it, Blackie, I'm afraid."
A few mornings later. Charlie was surprised to see old John standing. leaning, on the half door, as if awaiting their arrival.
"That's a fine looking dog you have," he greeted them.
"We've great hopes for him."
"I notice you out walking every morning."
"Black Velvet needs plenty of exercise."
"Then you haven't time to stop. I put an extra rasher on."
"For me - or the dog?'
"For you, of course. If you've got time for a bite."
Black Velvet looked at Charlie with a knowing look. They followed old John into the cottage, where a cosy open fire greeted them and a pan sizzled on a crook. A motley collection of wall clocks and mantle clocks kept up a busy chatter.
"They keep me company," John explained, as he forked a good plateful of soda bread and bacon and set it before Charlie.
In no time at all the plate was cleared, except for a morsel of soda bread, which Charlie offered to Black Velvet.
"Now you shouldn't be getting this, but a wee treat won't do any harm. Thanks John.
We'd better be off."
And so it was, that Charlie and Black Velvet left Dr Devine's, every morning, with a spring in their step. As they approached John's cottage, Black Velvet strained at the leash and all but broke into a gallop, as the smell of sizzling bacon reached his nostrils.
Each day he was rewarded with a tidbit and a stretch in front of the open fire.
As they were leaving, one morning, Charlie suggested: "If you leave a bit of soda bread out, tomorrow morning, on the doorstep, I'll let him off the leash and see if he'll pick up the scent."
"No bother Charlie."
Sure enough, the next morning, Charlie released Black Velvet, as soon as they had rounded the bridge. The dog took off like a rocket and in a flash, had picked up his reward.
"By hokey, he was flying!" shouted an excited John.
And so Black Velvet's unorthodox, daily training schedule, continued, with the distance being extended well beyond the range of humans.
"He'll soon be ready for his first race," exclaimed Charlie.
One morning, over a week later, Charlie didn't show up at the kennels. Dr Devine waited impatiently, pacing up and down.
"I knew I couldn't depend on him," he muttered to himself.
Half an hour later he could wait no longer. He struggled to put the leash on Black Velvet and then headed for the open road. Black Velvet took the lead, pulling the doctor along, as he struggled to keep up. He was half-trailed down the side track, leading along the river bank, when, with a sudden jerk, the leash flew from his hands, and the dog disappeared like a flash.
Dr Devine arrived at old John's doorstep, red-faced and gasping for breath:
"You didn't happen to see a black greyhound?' he asked, hopefully.
"Come in, Doctor Devine and rest yourself for a minute,” John offered, "Sure he's in his favorite spot."
The doctor entered the living room of the cottage to see Black Velvet stretched out in front of the fire and the smell of fried bacon heavy in the air.
"What's that dog doing there'? Come here, boy!"
"Sure Charlie calls every morning. He and Black Velvet share a bite with me and enjoy the fire for a few minutes."
"So that's what he's doing and me paying him good money to exercise the dog - and his first race coming up soon! Come on, boy - we'll get you home!"
When Charlie reported back for work a few days; later, he explained: "It was the drink, Doctor. I had a sup too much."
"You'll have all the time in the world to get over it. I thought you were exercising Black Velvet and there you were - both lying In front of the fire, in old John's place - stuffing yourselves. The dog will not be fit to waddle, never mind, run!"
"I had him on a special training diet."
"Well, he and you are both off it - from today, I'll not be needing your services any more."
In the following weeks Charlie missed his working with the dog, but he picked up all he could hear about Black Velvet's progress. He had his first race, but finished well down the pack and this was followed by several other disappointing results. It was rumoured that the doctor would sell him, if his form didn't improve.
One evening there was a loud knock on Charlie's door. He opened it to find Dr Devine standing there; a look of desperation on his face.
"I didn't send for you," Charlie said, defensively.
"I know you didn't," snapped the doctor.
"It's Black Velvet. He's been very disappointing. If he doesn't improve - I'll get rid of him!"
"What has that to do with me?'
"I want to know if you'll take over his training again."
"Now I can't promise ... "
"He has this race next week and that's his final chance. If you can't make a job of him - no one can!"
"On one condition - my training isn't questioned?”
"And you keep off the drink?'
Black Velvet and Charlie soon renewed their working arrangement and the training began in earnest for the next race, including their early morning walks, past John's cottage.
On the evening of the races, Charlie let Black Velvet have a good sniff at the contents of his coat pocket. The dog was led to the traps, excited and licking his lips. Black Velvet was well down the field when they came round the bend. Suddenly his nose shot forward and Black Velvet catapulted to the front, crossing the finishing line a head clear. His motion continued as he almost bowled Charlie over. tearing the fried soda from his grasp.
"That was some win, Charlie!" crowed an excited Dr Devine.
"That's only the start - Eh. Black Velvet? - You have to feed him right!"
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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