We moved from the countryside to the city in 1975. Back then, we bought a house on the outskirts of Liverpool. But we were in for quite a shock! Like most country folk at the time, my parents believed in lending a hand wherever they could. So, when the previous owners asked if they could stay in what was now our new home for a couple of weeks until they sorted out some paperwork, my parents agreed without a second thought.
These people had a huge, bad-tempered dog. We werent keen on letting her inside since she didnt know us and was clearly on edge. That dog still sticks in my memory, even now.
A week went by, then another, then a third. The former owners seemed to be in no rush to leavesleeping in until midday, never venturing out, and behaving like they still owned the place. The old lady, mother to the former owner, was the worst of the lot.
Time and again, my mum and dad reminded them of our arrangement, but they simply kept putting things off.
Every day theyd let their dog out into the garden. It wasnt just that shed foul the entire yard; my children were too scared to step outside. The dog would lunge at anyone nearby. My folks pleaded with them not to let her out, but as soon as my dad left for work in the morning, and my brother and sister were off to school, that dog would be roaming the garden again.
The dog, in the end, was the one that finally helped Dad rid the place of those rude people.
One afternoon, my sister came back early from school. Forgetting about the dog, she flung the gate open and in a flash, the big black beast bowled her over. Thankfully, her thick duffle coat saved her from getting hurt too badlyonly the coat was ruined in the end. The dog was caught and chained up, and instead of apologising, they blamed my younger sister for coming home early.
That evening, all hell broke loose! Dad rushed home from work, didnt even bother to hang up his coat, and immediately bundled the old woman out the front door. Her daughter and son-in-law scrambled out quickly after, not daring to wait for a firmer eviction. Their cheeky belongings were tossed over the garden fence, splashing down into the mud and puddles.
They made a fuss and tried to set the dog on Dad, but the dogseeing all the commotiontucked her tail between her legs and slunk back into her kennel. She had no intention of coming out. Within the hour, all their things were outside, the front gate was locked, and the dog sat behind the fence, munching treats with her owners, well and truly out of our lives.
