Bonnie Bird of Prey

by Charles Alexander Fraser

 

The winter trip from Drumheller, Alberta, to Ladysmith, was long for me and my one year old German Shepherd, Bonnie. I was broke and near the end of poky. I spoke with the owner of the Sportsman Hotel, he agreed to let me land there for a few months. Reluctantly, he agreed to let my dog in the room, but to keep her under control. I spent time with Bonnie training her to heel, fetch, stay, and more importantly, not to shit inside the car. I explained the rules to Bonnie and we moved into the inn.

This hotel rented rooms to older people on welfare or disability. They tended to gravitate to the booze. They had their own social club that met on Sundays to discuss current events. Two of them met me in the hall as I was moving in my things. I was noticing how messy the place was when the odd couple introduced themselves as the people who keep this hotel clean. I chuckled and introduced myself. “Just to let you know we keep a close eye on things around here.” I chuckled again considering the guy speaking only had one eye. I was getting sea-sick talking to them, as they were both under the influence, and were moving to and fro. Nice to meet you, see you later.

I knew I would be working soon because I pulled lumber and set chokers here before. I was a west coast logger, and in the mid seventies, on Vancouver Island, there was a lot of work to be had, unless of course, you didn’t like working between meals. Our room over looked the main street. It was two stories high, with a two-foot ledge going round the building. One bed and a bathroom, still it beat the 64' ford. I hated sleeping with Bonnie in the car with her wet fur. Plus she farted in the middle of the night. No wonder I used to dream of being a dog, right back to when I was a puppy.

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That day we visited some old logging friends to find out who was hiring. We agreed to meet in the bar that night. I changed Bonnie’s dog food, and she wasn’t taking to it very well. I took her down to the salt-chuck and let her fetch sticks in the ocean.We went back to the room. I told her to behave and I went downstairs to the bar. One beer led to another, one pool game led to another, and one old girlfriend led to another. The place was hopping.

I’d be working soon and Bonnie and I could get another place. Bonnie! Shit! I forgot about her. “Drink up folks, its time to go home.” Closing time, she hasn’t been to the can in six hours. I ran to my room, I dreaded the smell and the sight that should be about to greet me. I opened the door...and neither saw or smelt anything. Where’s Bonnie! A breeze blew the curtain. I thought oh no....she fell out the window. At that moment, a big furry head covered with fresh snowflakes popped into the window. She jumped inside and I looked down the ledge and saw and smelt a terrible sight. Dog diarrhea is not pretty. However, better out there than in here. Bonnie was glad to see me as she stuck her wet snout inside my belly. I was glad she didn’t fall to the street below. Soon we crashed and went to sleep.

My eleven o’clock wake up call was the sound of the jukebox and crashing of billiard balls. The first beer, pool game, and song are free at the Sportsman’s hotel. “Lonely Days and Lonely Nights”, by Freddie Fender, was always the first song. I got to hate that song after awhile. I washed up and went down stairs to have a barley breakfast. I observed a number of old timers sitting around having a lively debate. Some of them I knew because they lived down the hall. Big Jim was an old gnarled up logger. He resembled a beat up, battle worn tomcat.“ Only an Eagle could shit like that, I tell yeah.

I know because I’ve seen them shit before.” “No, you're wrong Jim. Only an Owl can shit like that.” Why would an Owl shit on a window ledge? The same could be said for an Eagle. “You are both wrong, it was a Raven.” “Those birds eat some weird things from the garbage dumps.” Let’s face it, what ever shit outside your window last night wasn’t normal.” “Yeah, your right, the bird had pretty big claws, as well.” “That’s why I said it was an Owl, they prey at night and have big talons.” This discussion will go for a year or so. “Tar bender, bring these boys a round.” Big Jim looked up at me with that beat up tomcat face and said: “Thanks Chuck! By the way, what kind of bird do you think could shit like that?” I stood up to leave, with a smile on my face and said: “ I couldn’t tell you, but one thing’s for sure, it was a Bonnie big bird of prey.”