THE couple were laid out on their bright towels like great mounds of underdone beef on a griddle. The small brown form obligingly trotted away.
The larger mound collapsed back into his horizontal position and muttered darkly to his wife lying motionless beside him. He held forth about the unsanitary habits of stray dogs, disease, lack of access controls, pounds, the uselessness of lifeguards . . . his language as ugly as the snarl on his face. The woman lay passive for a while until he was done. Then grunted a desultory assent.
Padding effortlessly over the sand on lanky legs, his big paws leaving only the faintest prints, the dog explored the tideline – tail up, ears cocked.
A scuttling ghost crab, near translucent in the harsh glare of sun and glittering sand, drew his immediate attention. Nose down, a deep frown of concentration wrinkling the loose folds of skin on his forehead, one ear up, the other down, he followed it to its hole. But ensured his tender black nose stayed a constant few millimetres behind the fleeing creature. An uncertain paw scratched at the hole. The long nose followed for a deep sniff.
Sneezing, the dog backed away, barked once, then prancing, circling on coltish legs that seemed suddenly to have a life of their own, made a determined effort to catch his own tail.
‘WHAT you got there, big fella?” The man was smiling, down on one knee, hand extended, his other arm loosely draped across the shoulders of a little girl. She stood, eyes wide, safely in the man’s embrace, her hands clasped over his forearm. Her mom had warned her about approaching stray dogs.
“What’s wrong with him, Daddy? Is he mad?”
Denne historien er fra 15 October 2020-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra 15 October 2020-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!
THE eyes HAVE IT
They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life