Red Dog Read Online Free Page A

with the disdain that she deserved. He let her put a little bit more of her backside on the seat.
    The next morning Red Dog realised that he was looking forward to sitting next to Nancy, and when she sat next to him he forgot to try to push her off. He thought that he might just try being a bit aloof, but when she said ‘Hi, Red!’ and patted him on the head, he couldn’t help smiling a little in the way that dogs do. He thumped his tail on the seat, once only, and then went back to looking out of the window, not wanting to give way too much to begin with.
    Nancy didn’t turn round, but she could tell that the miners were impressed, and weren’t mocking her any more. She knew that she had scored a victory over them at the same time as she had won over Red Dog.
    From that moment onward, Red Dog and Nancy became friends. There were not many others who dared to try it, but Nancy sat next to him whenever she liked.

NANCY, RED DOG AND JOHN
    There weren’t many single women around the place in those days, so if one of them turned up, it caused a lot of excitement and interest in all the single young men. They speculated as to what she would be like and whether anyone had a chance of going out with her. If anyone was spotted chatting up a girl, the other men would rib him about it, saying, ‘Fancy your chances, eh, mate?’ and ‘What makes you think she’d go for a skinny little runt like you, when there’s proper blokes like us?’
    John got to know Nancy a little because Red Dog let her sit next to him behind the driver’s seat of the bus, so that he was able to have snatches of conversation with her as he was driving along. They first got to talk properly because one day Red Dog made a smell so badthat they had to evacuate the bus completely, until it was safe to go back on. Even Red Dog got out and waited, wagging his tail and being friendly, as if he expected to be congratulated.
    John looked shyly at Nancy, and she smiled back. They both bent down to pat Red Dog on the head, and their hands touched. They both laughed, a little embarrassed, and John said, ‘Did you hear what happened yesterday? There was a new driver on the bus, and he tried to throw Red out.’
    ‘Really?’ said Nancy.
    ‘Yeah, and Red Dog wasn’t having it, and he was growling at this driver, and then the blokes started shouting and jeering at him.’
    ‘And then what?’
    ‘Well, the blokes made it clear what was what, and the new driver had to let Red stay on. Anyway, when the driver asked about it at the depot, we told him all about Red, and now he knows better.’
    ‘I saw something funny the other day, a bit like that,’ said Nancy. ‘Red was in the shopping mall, and you know it says “No Dogs” on the door, and he was lying there in the entrance because it was like an oven outside, and he likes the air-conditioning, and no-one ever tries to move him because he isn’t just any old dog.’
    ‘Yeah, I know,’ said John.
    ‘Well, there’s a new woman working in the mall, right? She’s called Patsy or something, and she didn’t know about Red. She sees him lying there, and all the blokes have come in because it’s lunchtime, and they’re sitting around eating their sandwiches and legs of chicken. Anyway, Patsy sees Red Dog and orders him out, and he refuses to move. So she grabs him by the collar and drags him out, with his feet sliding on the tiles because he’s determined not to go. She closes the door, and before you know it Red Dog’s come back and he’s lying down exactly where he was before. Patsy starts to kick up a fuss, and tries to drag him out again, and then all the fellas start having a go at her, you know, cat calling and throwing chicken bones and orange peel, so finally she gives up, and now she knows not to bother him again.’

    ‘That’s my dog,’ said John, and one of the miners tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Listen, mate. We’ve got to get to work, so be a good fella and see if it’s safe to get