Lettter from Gran Dan

Dear Eloise

Dear Ashy

Dear Abi


When we arrived at the Island of Poros in Greece, a big brown dog lay at the foot of the gangway at the back of the boat. We walk over the gangway to get to shore.
He looked a mean dog. He had scars on his back from fighting.

He lay on the footpath enjoying the warmth in the concrete. He lay right where Gran’dad wanted to get off his boat. He growled when Gran’dad walked down the gangway. Gran’dad was frightened the big brown dog might bite him.

The big brown dog snapped and snarled and grizzled and growled.
“Growl! Snarl! Snap! Woof!” The big brown dog called as Gran’dad neared. He wouldn’t move out of the way to let him pass.

Gingerly, he stepped over the dog.
“Grrrr!” The big brown dog threatened. Then he flopped over on his side, stretched his legs, and went back to sleep.

Although he was asleep, the big brown dog was still very alert. If another dog crept nearby, he growled and barked and chased him away.
“Woof! Woof! Woof! Get off my patch!” He demanded as he chased them away.
Sometimes, the big brown dog even growled and barked and chased people away, if he didn’t like the look of them. He was a truly nasty brown dog.

When Gran’dad returned to the boat from shopping, he thought: “I’m lucky. I’ve got my very own guard dog at the bottom of my gangway at the back of my boat.”

Cautiously, Gran’dad patted the big brown dog’s head. Suddenly, the dog rolled onto his back, his paws in the air, inviting Gran’dad to rub his tummy.

He loved Gran’dad rubbing his tummy. No one had done that to him for a long long time.
While he patted the big brown dog, Gran’dad told him a story about Hairy McCleary. However, the big brown dog didn’t understand a word Gran’dad said because he was a Greek dog – he couldn’t understand English, even though he barked exactly the same as dogs in Australia and New Zealand.

That night, Gran’dad had a BBQ on the back of his boat. He gave the big brown dog bones and scraps of meat. The big brown dog loved them. When he finished eating, the big brown dog lay at the foot of the gangway, his chin on his paws, as if he was part of the crew.

He lay there remembering how once he had actually been crew on a boat. But his wicked owners had sailed away without him. That’s why he lay near the boats day after day, hoping that one day they would return for him. But they never did.

Gran’dad felt so sorry for that big brown dog, waiting for someone to love him. He said to Gor Gor” “We should take the big brown dog on our boat.”

Gor Gor said no, because there was not enough room on the boat. There was no bunk for a dog.
“We only have bunks for Eloise, Ashy and Abi,” she said. “There’s no where on board for a dog. Not even Hine or Nelson.”

I love you lots and lots,

Gran’dad