THE GUIDE
He was short and stocky, hiding in the shadows. He sat by the edge of the road, watching my car slow down as I neared him. Black, middle-aged.. visibly male. My Mom made me promise not to pick up hitchhikers, but I felt like he was going to pick me up whether I liked it or not. He said nothing as I slowly walked towards him, he simply rose and began to trot beside me. This sweet black lab was offering to guide me through his world, and I couldn't say no.
I arrived in St Bathans on a tip from Kiwi Craig. Situated right exactly in the middle of nowhere, this tiny village was once the landmark of the gold rush in NZ. After years of mining, the original hill was flattened, leaving nothing behind but a stunning mineral lake and a few authentic storefronts. The rich ultramarine waters of Blue Lake are surrounded by a unearthly landscape dotted with rusty remnants of settlers past. I anticipated a nice, leisurely 50-minute loop beside the lake. The Guide* had other plans.
I made a bee-line to the toilets and was surprised to find the Guide waiting outside when I emerged - he hadn't wandered back to the car park (parking lot) as I'd expected. He wasn't impressed when I tried to pet him on the head, though he did accept a good hip/butt rub. He wasn't a lost, sad puppy dog, and he wasn't hoping to attract one either. He was there because he wanted to travel. He'd made this trek alone many times I'm sure, but was excited at the prospect of sharing these moments all the same. We just have an affinity for wandering, and love finding someone with whom to share our adventures. Did I type we? Weird.
The Guide was loyal. He was dedicated. And he was patient. He never got too far ahead without looking back to check on me. He excitedly showed me all the best lookout spots, far beyond the official track. I followed him up the rocky dunes to find breathtaking views I would have passed by, and he waited patiently while I captured the moments on film (er, memory cards). He was fearless and feisty. At one point, he climbed gingerly down a steep bank, and I watched as he took a relaxing dip into the serene blue lake. He knew all the best spots. He appeared again from another bank looking refreshed and invigorated.
I had seen him sniffing the hundreds, maybe thousands, of rabbit holes that littered the area. He had made a lazy attempt to chase one full-size hare, but I hadn't thought much of it. After losing sight of him for a few minutes, I scanned the horizon to see the Guide on top of a tall ridge, digging excitedly into the ground. Quite a noble sight really.. Ancestral wolf shining through big time. I knew immediately that he had found live critters, and I watched curiously to see how he would handle it. Finally, one tiny bunny squealed past him, over the edge and PLOP! into the water below. Before I could process, I realized that the Guide had another one locked between his jaws, still flopping about. It didn't flop long before the Guide was gnawing off its head, crunching as he went. I thought he would pick around the fur and bones, but he soon proved me wrong by gulping down the entire rest of the creature.. those lucky rabbit feet hanging out like toothpicks. By now, I was trying to find a respectable distance from which to photograph. The man was clearly enjoying a hard earned dinner, and any dog owner knows the dangers of getting too close during meal time. As he eyed me in range, I told the Guide out loud, "I don't want to disturb you. I want to honor you."
All done, right? As I moved away down the hill, having gotten my snapshots and not wanting to overstay my welcome, I realized that something or someone was squealing behind me. Four more tiny victims came bounding down the hill, kicking and screaming but unable to do so with actual purpose. As each one finally came to a fatal halt, I (naturally) moved closer to investigate. Very curious.. each of the bunnies was clearly dead, but with no visible wounds. No blood, no bite marks. The Guide had managed to end their lives.. in the most gentle way he knew how.
As the Guide finished his affairs, I pointed my finger at the four he had left strewn about the hill. I asked him what he planned to do with them. Leave them, he seemed to say.. Leave them for someone else who will be hungry. A later traveller suggested that he was offering them to me. Regardless, he took another quick dip in the lake, literally washing his face and hands after dinner. As he trotted along in front of me, I was unable to wipe the awe, appreciation, and sheer excitement off of my face. What had I just witnessed? For a few moments, I truly wondered if I had imagined the Guide, this mystical guardian angel that appeared at my feet, and perhaps none of this had ever happened. I've now checked my camera a few times to disprove this fear.
The Guide continued to lead proudly while I followed in elated disbelief. When we came to the end of our loop, he laid back down in the same place I had met him. We shared a long gaze. I started to pet him, to show my thanks.. but then I stumbled upon a better idea. Camera still in hand (actually, I used up my memory card during the Bunnie Battle, and had to run to the car to grab a new one), I audibly asked the Guide if he wanted to keep exploring. He was hesitant, not sure what I had in mind. Could my adventure live up to the one he had shown me? Probably not.. Definitely not. But I showed him my intentions by doing a quick skip-step towards the opposite end of town. He leapt up and came bounding past me, thrilled to see that I wanted more.
We carried on for another hour or so, this time it was I who dictated the route. The beautiful ruins of the old schoolhouse stood next to the long-active cemetery, and the Guide playfully sniffed around in the long grass while I read the headstones. At one point I heard a rustling while the Guide was not right beside me. I whispered, "What was that?" and he quickly came over to investigate and protect. After a few minutes, we agreed it was most likely a bird and kept going. I swear he looked at me to make sure I was comfortable before he moved on. I didn't see another person while I was in St Bathans, but I did share my afternoon with another soul.
If you think that I am fabricating the emotional capabilities of the Guide, then you have missed the sincerity of this experience. If you have never experienced the wisdom and understanding of a canine, then you have missed out on a life-changing connection. The Guide taught me a lot of things in a short afternoon.. not because I was humanizing his behavior, but because I could analyze my own on a more basic level. I didn't want the Guide to be like me, I wanted me to be more like him.. Never being afraid to wander from the beaten path. Always taking the challenging, yet more rewarding route. Having patience while your companion finds a reason to linger. Not being afraid to go off on your own, but always remembering to include those behind you. Staying loyal.. Even when a car full of new strangers arrived at the car park, the Guide stayed by my side and didn't seek to pursue the next best thing. I have a lot to learn from this whole experience, and I hope by putting it on paper I can find greater success in those areas.
The Universe knew I would benefit from a companion on my adventure, and not just any companion. Maybe the Guide needed one too, and I was able to provide him some comfort. I hope so. It was only a short-term connection, but the Universe provided me with the most wonderful Guide for both inner and outer exploration.
I will never forget the Guide from St Bathans. Without question, the most memorable part of my trip thus far.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW YOU THE GOOD PHOTOS!! Gahhhh.. I even got the end of the Bunnie Battle on video. So good. I took a few photos of my camera screen just for kicks. And yes, I took a photo of myself laughing in disbelief, cuz I really did laugh the whole way back.
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PVs
Not shoving him in the car with me as I drove away.
*The Guide. Ryan Gosling's character in Drive is never referred to by name. Even in the script, he is simply referred to as The Driver. I thought about this as I tried to 'name' the dog during our walk.. But it seemed much more fitting to allow this creature to serve selflessly as the Driver of my experience, without me selfishly wanting to label it.
- If you haven't seen Drive, I highly recommended it. Actually, Mom.. it might be a bit too gory for you. ;)
Wow look! An update with real photos!
:)
ReplyDeleteOh man, thats absolutely amazing.
ReplyDelete