Writer's Notebook

Ian couldn't help but shed a tear as he saw the mangled state of Lenny the Lion, once the dog had finished with him. He gathered up as much of what remained as he could and put everything in a small plastic bag. Upstairs, little Davy was waiting at the doorway for the news. Not that even he could have had any doubts, once they saw the dog at work. At the sight of nothing but the plastic bag, Davy began to cry and soon father and son were engulfed in a duet of despairing lamentation.

Ian picked up his son and carried him into the living-room. He spread out Lennie's remains on the coffee table and turned to pick out a photo album from the shelves behind. It didn't take him long to find the photo. Three proud boys in the sailors suits sitting on the photographer's sofa, each sporting a lion of appropriate size on their lap. It had been Ian who refused to give up his lion. He had thrown such a tantrum that the photographer had let him take the lion home in a bid to restore sanity to his studio. Lenny was now his.

Years went by; Ian grew up, Lenny with him. He always remained a treasured possession even if Ian no longer slept with him. The day he left home, he placed Lenny in the large trunk in the loft. That way, he knew where to find him if and when the time came when Lennie's services were again needed.

Davy stared bleary eyed as his father began this story. Never had he imagined that Lennie was as old as his dad.

"I'm ashamed to say that I more or less forgot Lennie in the years that passed. I was very busy with all my exams and learning to do my job. Then, of course, I met Mummy and she was all I could think about. But one day, Granny fell ill, so ill that we knew she was going to die. So I went up into the loft and sorted through the old trunk where I had put all the things I had had when I was a child. That was when I saw Lennie again. It was just a few weeks later that we found out we were going to have our precious little Davy. And I knew Lennie would become your little friend. It was the first present you ever had, the day you and Mummy came home from the hospital."

Ian took another another album and flicked through its pages. The photograph of his wife sporting their little bundle of joy while Lennie looked on protectively, moved him once again to tears. Davy jumped and ran towards his room. He came back a few minutes later with his school book which he opened to an article on Dr. Christiaan Barnard. They had been talking about him and his work at school. He slipped onto the sofa next to his dad.

"Don't cry Daddy; all we have to do is send Lennie to this man. Our teacher says he could open people up and put new pieces in them. Then he would so them back together again and they would be as good as new. I'm sure, he could help Lennie."