He was one of six and probably the runt of the litter, though a sister was little bigger, and they both had to struggle at mealtimes whilst their larger brothers and sisters always took the lion’s share. They both threw up at times because of the frantic way they swallowed what was left for them.
But I’d owned and bred German Shepherds in a former life, he had good conformation, seemed pretty well put together and there was just something about him.
When we collected him to bring him to his new home my wife and I began to wonder. It was an icy night and although he had a nest of bedding in the back of our SUV he whined and whimpered the whole way home. We felt awful.
However, once home he appeared to be more interested in his new surroundings and his new companion, Pixie, our cat who had already survived, and mastered, our previous brother and sister Shepherds.
Whilst getting up twice each night to take him out was a bit of a pain, it was well worth it. Puppies, just like humans, don’t really like soiling in their own homes and Juma was house-trained in a very short time, and only had a couple of accidents in our home on the way.
My first Juma was about 5 feet tall and was my driver when I was in the Royal Navy of Oman. I was pretty spoiled by my Sri Lankan office manager. He was very good and left little for me to do. Similarly, my Squadron Engineer was also very competent, so I was often left in my office, reading signals from HQ and twiddling my thumbs.
When I got really bored, I would sometimes wash and clean my personal car, which I drove to the office on most days. Juma would go ballistic when he arrived in the squadron car if he caught me. He let me know in no uncertain terms that ‘Sidi’ (Sir) should not be doing that and that it was his job! Fortunately, we never really fell out over it and he was always a happy man, a good driver, and a great companion who gave me many good memories.
Now I’m not quite sure how my Omani Juma would think of the idea of my taking his name for two German Shepherds but like to think he would accept it was for only the very best of reasons and why they were and are ‘memory puppies.'
Now I’m not quite sure how my Omani Juma would think of the idea of my taking his name for two German Shepherds
I have known my wife for around 30 years now. She was a nurse at the university hospital in Oman, and we first met at one of the many dinners that took place at the Naval Base.
My second son, from my first marriage, chose to come out to stay with me in his gap year at university. He volunteered to help at the Oman Marine Biology Centre in Muscat, where his interest in marine biology blossomed and that still consumes him over 30 years later. We shared a love of scuba diving and began competing to see who could become certified first. I claim I won, as when I was given notice that my contract with the RNO would not be renewed I had time to sign up for the very first open water scuba instructor course held in Oman. Jamie was a certified divemaster and has since completed his OWSI certification, but chose to leave Oman with his bride-to-be to move back to the UK.
He is by far the better scuba diver!
I think that my nearly 10 years in Oman were probably as good as it gets and there are a whole host of other good memories, and leaving Oman only the beginning of my journey to marrying my Canadian nurse and becoming a Canadian citizen, via the Turks and Caicos, where we lived in a Canadian-designed and built cedar Pan Abode cottage on Providenciales, overlooking Grace Bay, voted one of the best beaches in the world, for several years of beautiful coral reefs and dive mastering. Then a brief couple of years on Saba, Windward Islands, where we married. An island population that have no clue what racism is. A small population of around 1100 when we were there, Saban families with children who were from black to white within the same families and no apparent comprehension of race. I think it was probably one of the happiest communities I have ever enjoyed being a part of.
And so, to Canada as a Landed Immigrant, sponsored by my wife and after a two-year immigration process, being granted Canadian citizenship.
Every morning when I walk Juma, it’s impossible not to let all those memories and far more join us on our walks and especially at this time of year, when we try to celebrate the good rather than dwell on the not so good.
And yes, Juma really is my ‘memory puppy’.
Hope you all enjoyed your holiday celebrations, and that in these pretty uncertain times may the New Year bring you all that is good.
