Situations and Opportunities

Over the months that Mango has become part of the menagerie at the Ark, she has also become Mr Noah’s faithful companion. Mr Noah might not realise that, himself, but Mango certainly does. Wherever Mr Noah goes, Mango goes too (or tries to)!

So, Mr Noah has taken this situation to teach her some simple tricks and acts of obedience (or, should that be Mango has taken every situation to teach Mr Noah some simple tricks and acts of obedience?)

Here’s an example of one of these tricks. Mango has a favourite toy - a blue, chewy, indestructible, rubber ball. She will play for hours with this toy, pushing it around with her nose or lying quietly on the floor chewing on it.

Her trick is to push the ball into Mr Noah’s hand so that he can throw it for her. She then runs to fetch it, but flatly refuses to give it back until Mr Noah has apparently lost all interest. Then, and only then, will she try and push it back into his hand. After all, she doesn’t want Mr Noah to get too excited with the game and it’s not fair to play by his rules only.

However, there is one favourite trick she likes to play with this toy, and that is to drop the ball (actually, she throws it) down the stairs. She says that she likes to watch it bounce – all the way into the guest lounge if her aim and the line of travel is right, and usually whilst our guests are eating breakfast! After all, she says she likes to get them involved in her games too, believing in friendly hospitality.

Mango knows she isn’t allowed down these stairs and, being such an obedient and well-trained dog, she sits at the top and tells Mr Noah that the ball seems to have rolled down (yet again) by giving a gentle “woof”.

Over time, this game has extended to the steps in the back garden where she drops the ball over the gate, watches it bounce away, sits there watching for a moment longer, and then “woofs”.

Mr Noah very kindly opens the gate and says, “Go get it,” and Mango is allowed into the PROPER garden ALL ON HER OWN to fetch it! The strict rule is that she just fetches the ball and comes straight back. Which she does! Every time! What a good girl! Of course, this game has also become a firm favourite with the ever-so-patient Mr Noah!

Now it came to pass that early yesterday evening, Mr Noah was attending to his juicy steaks on the braai, whilst downing a beer or two and enjoying the magnificent sunset, when he noticed that his faithful hound, Mango, who had been helping him with the braai, was sitting by the gate “woofing” - the “woof” that means, “Please can I fetch my ball?”

Mr Noah, his senses dulled a bit by the beer and dreaming about his soon-to-be-eaten steaks told Mango, “No problem, faithful hound,” and he opened the garden gate saying, “Go get it!”

So, Mango tore off!

Through the gate…

Down the path…

Around the fynbos bushes…

Through the back gate at the bottom of our garden…

Across next door’s garden…

Then disappeared from view, down the track, heading in the direction of the beach! “Oops,” thought Mr Noah, “I think I might have lost the dog!”

Suddenly, from the thick bushes along the track, came an explosion of noise, a cacophony of shrieking and barking! Out of the fynbos came a dozen francolins, scuttling and jostling trying to take flight in order to get as far away as possible.

Mr Noah realised at once what had happened (he hadn’t had that many beers) and the big clue was the “tailless” bird hurtling across the skyline!

“MANGO,” he screamed.

Instantly she came back, trotting across next door’s garden, through the back gate at the bottom of our garden, around the fynbos bushes, up the path, through the gate that she’s only allowed to go through when she is fetching her ball, and back on to the stoep next to Mr Noah.

Mr Noah just looked at her and said slowly through clenched teeth, “So where is your ball then, young lady?”

Mango just looked back at him with those soulful brown eyes, smiled sweetly, and said, “Ball? What ball? Who mentioned anything about a ball?”