Deur my lewe was ‘n hond nog altyd ‘n ononderhandelbare deel van ons huis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drie generasies foksterri\u00ebrs het my kinderjare volgemaak.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die eerste Buks het volgens my ma dag en nag langs my wiegie gewaak. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buks die tweede het smiddae voor die laerskool op die Volkswagen se agtersitplek vir my gewag. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buks die derde is op die laaste dag van my finale universiteitseksamen onder die stinkhoutboom in die pastorietuin ter ruste gel\u00ea.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nog altyd het ons honde \u00f3ns vooruitgegaan. So tussendeur die dood van Maggie, Demus, Sam, Wolfie, Josef, Toffie en klein Sipho, het ek dikwels gedink aan die plek wat ons honde in die hemel vul. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As kind het ek onomwonde geglo dat, as my honde nie eendag vir my in die hemel wag nie, dit glad nie ‘n lekker plek gaan wees nie. Punt.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
En, eensklaps in ons huis, keer die proses van verlies en rou toe om. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drie weke gelede moes ons die rots van ons huis vir oulaas groet. Vir die eerste paar dae het my eie verbystering en seer die verwarring op die gesiggie van klein Ben misgekyk. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dit was eers toe ek van sy aggressie teenoor my bewus raak, dat ek besef daar is fout. Nog nooit het die klein, wit wollyf vir een van ons kwaad geword nie. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ek het ‘n vriend se raad gevolg en ‘n hemp van my man vir hom op sy slaapkussing neergesit. ‘n Uur later het ek dit aan’t flarde geskeur in die gang gevind.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die aande het in nagmerries ontaard. My hondekind het halsstarrig geweier om tot rus te kom en het heeltyd voor die bed gesit en blaf.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘n Paar aande gelede het ek moedeloos op die vloer, met my rug teen die voordeur, gaan sit, daar waar Ben Ludwig saans ingewag het n\u00e1 werk. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In trane het ek hom, waar hy op die trap gesit het, oor en oor vertel dat sy pa nooit weer gaan huis toe kom nie. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wat daarop gevolg het, sal altyd vir my onverklaarbaar bly. So, asof hy verstaan, het hy voetjie vir voetjie nader gekom en homself in my skoot opgekrul. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ek het hom opgedra kamer toe, wetende dat, al is die we\u00eb van ‘n hond se hart soms onver-\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
klaarbaar, aan sy lojaliteit is daar geen keer nie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As kind het ek onomwonde geglo dat, as my honde nie eendag vir my in die hemel wag nie, dit glad nie ‘n lekker plek gaan wees nie. 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