Figure 1.--This photograph was taken shortly after arriving in America at our new home. I am still wearing my English short pants. Bum and Rufus took to us immediately, and we to them. Someone on the boat coming to America had chicken pox, and it got me, within days of arrival at my new home. Here I am making a good recovery with my new pals.

Graham and I were pleased to find our host family had not only a dog, but two dogs--Bum and Rufus. The dogs were as radically different as two dogs can be. Bum was a sedate, sweet little cocker spaniel. Rufus was a whole different kettle of fish. He was a boxer and only about 2 years old. He wanted to have some serious fun. Before we arrived the family didn't offer much oportunity for Rufus. We quickly changed that. Here Rufus got what he wanbted and we got what we had wanted for some time--in spades. Both dogs lived indoors. Despite being so different, Rufus and Bum got on fine. And they accepted us almost immediately.

Bum

On the previous picture I am pictured soon after arrival at our foster home in Lynn, Massachussetts (September 1940). I am already looking a bit American with my 'hoodie' and long trousers. I was shocked though that the name of the dog was 'Bum'. To us Rnglish this meant 'Fanny' or even A**e. I soon learned it was a synonym for 'Hobo'. That was the beggining of my exposure to the intricacies of American English. I would learn a lot more when school began. Bum was a very congenial cocker spaniel. We must have disrupted his rather placid life as well. I like Bum, but he was not as interested in play as Rufus. Cocker's aremore gentle dogs and Bum had a few years on him.

Rufus

Rufus in sharp contrast to gentle little Bum was a canine powerhouse. You can see this by just looking at his photograph here. He was friendly to friends, and as we lived in HIS house we were O.K., but wobetide unwelcome guests. He was only 2 years old when this snapshot was taken (figure 1). Notice the leash. He took some effort to handle, but sctually had a gentle side as well. We took him for walks on the beach and he would often pick up flotsom after a storm. He would latch on to a piece of driftwood, and bring it home--both to munch on and as a kind of trophy to show off. One time he found a car tyre. He grabbed the rim and flipped it over his back. I assume that was an accident. He came home with it--quite proud of his find I think. Over the next few weeks he munched it to bits. That tyre, even for Rufus, took some serious chewing. He was a handful for me, so Graham usually took charge when we went for walks. Even so, it was never entirely clear wether we were walking him or Rufus was walking us. We used to have Sunday supper in the lounge on trays, rather than at the table. He would sit in front of one or other of the family just looking and drooling copiously. He never tried to steal any food. Rufus as rambunxious as he was, had his tender side as well. When I was sick once with chicken pox he would come and lie on my bed for hours. I appreciated the company and his comforting me during my recuperation. [HBC note: Rufus bears a striking resemblence to Hooch in the Tom Hanks film, "Turner and Hooch".]