J T Learns the Hard Way

Mr. Hoy G. dug and set the septic tank and put in our leach bed. And while the poor man worked, young J T and his dog made his job a harrowing experience. No matter how often I scolded and warned those two, or tied the dog and set the boy in a corner, they would sneak back out to be in the way as soon as I got busy again. Finally Mr. G shut down his backhoe and dozer and came up to the house to ask me if he had my permission to scare my son into staying away. I readily agreed, and wished him luck, because I didn't think anything he did could deter J T.

The boy was fearless and had proved to be a handful. There is just too much danger involved in construction where a small child and a young dog are involved. They kept me, and Ruth, on our toes. What J T didn't think of, his Duke led him into.

So after giving Mr. G permission to scare my son, I just had to find a good vantage point to watch what he planned. It didn't take long. J T was climbing on a pile of dirt and Mr. G was using the dozer. The man pretended he didn't see the boy and first he knocked him off his "king of the hill" dirt pile. But, he didn't stop there. I almost quit breathing when he continued to bulldoze the dirt and buried my toddler up to his shoulders as he lay on the ground. But, the most amazing thing about this was the action of young Duke. The dog was in a frenzy of barking and trying to tug at the boys clothes to pull him away. The dog wasn't strong enough, but he sure tried. Watching all of this was surreal. Mr. G turned off his equipment and sat watching, looking as stunned as I felt. I was up in a bedroom above the garage in the partially built house and had to go around the long way to get outside. When I arrived, Mr. G had my son back on his feet and was brushing the dirt off, while at the same time petting and praising the dog and trying to calm a crying J T. We felt the dogs frantic actions did as much as Mr. G's expertise with the dozer to finally convince J T he had to stay away from the dangerous equipment. After that, he played on the other side of the house while Mr. G finished his work.

But, I still couldn't keep J T from climbing and walking planks and playing with tools. Especially the electric ones, and just generally scaring me every other minute. He even went so far as to use a hand saw to cut into our basement steps. Which really angered his step-father. My lovable first son just couldn't stay out of trouble. Ruth and I decided Duke had more sense than J T did.