Shelley the Lifeboat Labrador by John Periam Read Free Book Online Page A

infection.  For a couple of days she felt sorry for herself  but then the antibiotics took over and she improved no end.  The wound healed very slowly once the dressing came off and the air could get to it.
     
    A few days later a call from the estate agent confirmed I had a buyer for the house – I let my new employer know this had happened and set the ball in motion to move and pack up my belongings.  A drive down to Hove and back in a day found a nice letting agent and before I knew it I had found a bed sit in a house off Western Road.  The property was owned by the Fogle family who had been established Jewish bakers in the town for many years.  Their daughter had turned it into flats as an investment and her parents lived on the ground floor opposite me.                                                                         
     
    As it happened they liked dogs and I was told providing there was no undue noise and damage done to the property it would be ideal for me to keep her with me.
     
    A couple of weeks later the contract for my house was exchanged - both of us set off with the furniture van in tow to a new home and a new job. I was pleased to be leaving the area having never being really happy. To this day I have not returned even when passing by on the A1. It was part of my life I wanted to put behind me!
     
    End of Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    MOVE TO THE SOUTH COAST – CHAPTER 8
     
     
    The move was easy – I drove ahead and the furniture van made its own way down to Hove.  We met at my Aunt Kath’s house in Braemore Road in Hove where they put most of my furniture in her garage.  This was kindly arranged by my cousin Geoff Matthews.  I had always kept in touch with Geoff over the years. He played the guitar and had been with a well established group called ‘Design’ and was now living in London hence the garage was empty and he agreed I could use it until I got sorted out.
     
    We then took the rest of my gear to the new bed sit. This comprised of my clothing, books, my large LP Jazz collection and Hi Fi.  I also had two large Quad Electrostatic Loudspeakers which took up a lot of room; sadly these were not to remain with me long as funds were short.
     
    Once I had sorted things out and Shelley had found a suitable place for herself to call her own we decided to venture out to get some shopping and find our way around.
     
    The sea was at the foot of the road and there was a park about half a mile away.  She loved the sea front with the beach huts and the grass areas behind them and soon found her way down the many steps onto the beach.  It was a nice time to move as summer was just starting and the evenings were drawing out.
     
    I started my new job and there was some initial training to do but the company were very kind indeed and Shelly spent several days behind the main reception greeting all the visitors.
     
    I had not made any money from the sale of the house.  I had agreed via my solicitor to pay Christine’s father a certain sum each month until I had cleared the deposit he lent us. (It was eventually paid and to this day I have kept his nice thank-you letter saying how pleased he was that I had stuck to my promise).  The divorce came through and I was now a single man again.                         
     
    The new job was going very well indeed and I managed to get home most
    nights other than when I was working in Kent. Shelley enjoyed her travels   every day knowing she was going to get a walk at lunch time when I stopped for my sandwiches.
     
    Hove was fun, and Shelley had found a new pastime collecting the biggest stick or plank she could find that was washed up on the beach.  This caused a lot of fun to the many passers by.  Some were so heavy she had a problem carrying them, others were so long she could not get them up the steps past the railings.  Once on the promenade