After a short while the movement of the car became slower; it lurched first to one side and then to the other, and then it came to a halt. So did his tummy. Mistress opened the door, got out, slammed it and then re-appeared at his door, opened it, scooped him up again and slammed the passenger door.

Bwana was carried into a large room where there were other people and other creatures and much noise. His paws became damp and he dug his claws into Mistress's woolly jumper to make sure that he did not become separated from the one familiar thing in his life. He sat on her lap, holding tight, swallowing from time to time. Some of the other creatures made strange noises and he quickly shut his eyes so that they could not see him. He sat very still - but did not sleep as Mistress had scooped him up from his slumbers before they made their epic journey and he was not tired. After about ten minutes, he became bored; relaxed his grip on Mistress's jumper and began to peer cautiously around him. He became more confident. There were some other dogs, big and small, of all colours, some whimpering, some lying on the floor, some on their owners' laps. On the bench opposite Bwana, there was a box that seemed to jiggle up and down of its own volition and he could hear mewing. Next to the box at the feet of a thin lady with a long nose, was a basket through which poked a very large yellow beak. Ah! He knew what that was; it was just like Heather the duck at home. He had only seen her from a distance because she was always sitting very firmly on the pond when Bwana was around, her small black eyes penetrating his very being. He had never ventured into the water; it looked very cold and wet. Anyway, his Mum had told him that he was a Rhodesian Ridgeback and they came from Africa which was hot and dry and therefore did not like getting wet or cold. It was not that he was frightened.

The door to the room opened with a bang and a large man in black wellington boots entered backwards, pushing the door with his rear. When he turned round, Bwana could see that he was carrying two black and white puppies of a similar age to himself. The man sat down next to Mistress, still clutching the puppies with enormous red hands, the callused fingers resembling bananas in size. These puppies seemed self-assured and the one nearest leaned backwards over his Master's arm and grinned at Bwana with a lolling tongue and gaping mouth that nearly stretched from ear to ear, almost splitting his face in two.

"Hi", he said to Bwana in that silent language that only animals can hear. "My name's Ted. What's yours?"

Bwana was uncertain whether to reply. He thought that Ted was a bit cheeky - just speaking out of the blue like that to him. He wondered if Ted was what his Mum would call "Common". After all, Ridgebacks are superior to all other dogs and he, Bwana, was special. Mistress had said that he was especially chosen by her as the best in the litter. That was why he, Bwana, had been kept, whereas all his brothers and sisters had left to find new masters and mistresses. On the other hand, this Ted looked

like he could be fun to play with; not quite as big as he was, Bwana thought that he could get really rough with him without fear of reprisals, unlike when he played with Mum. He lounged in Mistress's arms trying to look casual, smiled benignly and said "Bwana".

"Bwana! What sort of a name is that!" exclaimed Ted.

He was Common.

Bwana turned his head away and nestled smugly into Mistress's soft and ample bosom. He heard Ted and his brother giggling and slowly turned his head to Ted again.

"If you must know 'Bwana' is African for 'bwoss'." Bwana replied in a very superior manner. "Master, - Chief, - King - something like that."

The two black and white puppies guffawed raucously.
They were definitely Common.

"Well our dad was champion sheep dog on 'One Man And His Dog' on telly!" retorted Ted's brother.

Bwana did not know what they were talking about, but rather than confess his ignorance, he merely said "How nice" regally and returned his head to Mistress's bosom.

Before Ted and his brother could think of a smart retort which was no doubt on the tip of their long pink tongues, Bwana heard Mistress's name being called by a man in a white coat, so she rose and carried Bwana into a smaller room where he was placed on a table. The man began to look in his ears, eyes and mouth, rather unceremoniously Bwana thought. He inspected his coat, loose skin down his spine and even felt between his hind legs. However, Bwana could hear him say what a splendid person, he, Bwana, was so he forgave him his indiscretion. He was just about to give him a friendly lick, when the man poked a sharp needle into his neck. It was so quick and he was so taken by surprise that no sound came out of his mouth when he opened it to protest. Almost as swiftly a white chalky pill was stuffed down his throat and he had no option but to swallow it. It was most undignified.

Still in Mistress's arms back in the big room, he caught sight of Ted and his brother - still grinning.

"Liked that did you?" laughed Ted as Mistress stopped at the counter, took some paper from her handbag and passed it to the girl standing the other side. "Haven't you been to the vet before? You don't know much do you?!"

Bwana shut his eyes - so that they could not see him.

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