A pup named Red

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Mark Walters sponsored by

Hello friends, Generally, this column is upbeat. There is plenty to read, watch or listen to that is not. This week’s column is about a series of bad luck that has had a solid effect on my summer.

On Friday, June 4, I picked up my golden retriever Ruby from an eight-day date with her boyfriend Cleo and, to say the least, I was very excited, as were many people in my life, to be adding a pup to our family in about 60 days.

There were also several people that had ordered a pup from as far back as 18 months ago that were eagerly anticipating a pup from Ruby.

On June 7, while fishing on Green Bay with my good buddy Jeff Moll in my 18.6 War Eagle, the 90-horsepower Etec outboard died four miles from the landing and we were towed in by the US Coast Guard. Little did I know of the nightmare that had just begun with the Etec.

First, I took it to the same marina that has done most of my work for the last seven years and was told the computer was fried and it was not something that they could fix. Next, I took it to another marina and they said very bad things about the first guy I took it to and said it was a simple electrical problem and it would be fixed in the morning.

Two weeks later I picked up my rig and was told the computer was fried.

I’m very adaptable to the situation at hand and lived out of my canoe, which in reality I love. No break downs, noise and it keeps me in shape.

In early July, Ruby was 30 days into her pregnancy. I took my rig to marina number three where I was told lots of what I wanted to hear, and life was good.

Two days later I received a call that my computer was fried and finding a new one was a challenge, but I had lucked out and what I believe was a new computer had been located for $1,300 plus labor.

I was looking forward to summer of taking kids tubing and exploring in the War Eagle. Two days later I received a call that some numbers had been programmed wrong into my “new” computer and it was a problem.

On July 29, 56 days after picking up Ruby and 54 days after the Coast Guard tow, I was home and I started noticing a solid pain on the left side of my face that, by the next day went into my left eye and ear. This was a Thursday. By Monday I was literally a wreck as my eye felt like it was ready to explode, I could only put soft food on the right side of my mouth and that was by prying my mouth open.

I went to the doctor that day and found out I had a full-blown infection. Nothing mattered because I knew it could be fixed and even though Ruby was a couple of days late with her litter, I was going to have a new pup and soon the War Eagle would be back on the water.

It took the antibiotics four days to kick in, but they did, and I believe had I waited much longer I would have died a miserable death. When the infection went out of my eye it popped like a broken egg.

So, I have no pups, no War Eagle and no infection. It is day 65. The pups should be born. I have been home for 13 days and I have to hit the road to create a story. I go to a field trial, it is raining very hard, and my brain is mush due to the infection.

On Monday I called three different veterinarians, all three suspected false pregnancy. I schedule an X-ray for Ruby. My future pup as well as Terry’s, Hailey’s, Hailey’s and Chris’s are on the line.

My first litter was back in 1983, I started writing this column in 1989. A litter of goldens every three or four years has really helped keep me afloat.

The X-ray showed that Ruby was not to have pups. Hopes and dreams for this cycle of my life were temporarily squashed.

I have a remarkable ability to get over adversity almost immediately. I thought of a good buddy of mine that found out in May that he is very ill and may not see Christmas and is handling it like a hero and taking care of business.

I thought of a close relative that was having a great phone conversation with her mother just this past Friday and her mother who had no known health issues literally passed away while they were speaking.

A stupid boat, temporary financial set back, no pup. I thought of a saying that I always think of when bad luck comes my way.

No matter how serious your issue, the sun will always come up in the morning!

Sunset