Walk Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven – Xavier in the car

I didn’t have the excuse of rain for drawing in the car, but as time is at a premium I was trying to multitask, so I was drawing and telling Xavier a story as he ate his lunch in the car seat, parked next to nursery. Then I dropped him off and skated back and forth over the sea of mud, that is the Woodland Park.

The story I told him was prompted by Alison’s enquiry as to whether Rufus can swim.

Two or three years before Xavier was born I was walking Rufus in Verulamium Park, with Flo. The foot and mouth crisis meant that most of the countryside was out of bounds. It was February, there had been a lot of rain and the lake and River Ver were full to bursting point and some water was sloshing over the path between the two bodies of water. As we walked, Flo asked whether one should jump in and rescue anyone who fell into the lake. So I used this as an opportunity to explain the dangers of putting yourself in a dangerous situation. I pointed out the life rings and explained how much safer it was to try to rescue someone from the banks rather than risk drowning yourself. As I spoke, a moorhen flapped its way from the lake on the right, across our path, to the river on the left. The commotion was irresistible to Rufus who chased the flapping bird – and – you’ve guessed it – fell into the river. I peered into the water and could see Rufus walking along the bed of the river, no sign of floating whatsoever – and – you’ve guessed it – quick as a flash I jumped in and scooped up the solid lump of muscle that is our dog and heaved him onto the side. So Alison I think we can conclude that Rufus can’t swim. I then had the joy of having to walk to the other side of the park in completely soaked winter clothes and having to explain to Flo that just because I jumped in to rescue Rufus, that didn’t mean it was necessarily the most sensible thing to do.