On
a hot July day when I was 32 years old, my Dad and I were digging a 16-inch tree
stump out of the ground from a tree that I had cut down the day before. We were digging it out by hand with shovels
and axes. It was hard, and he would work
circles around me. He was 70 years old at that time, and as I walked to the house to get a cool glass of water for us, I looked back at him, and in an instant, he became the smartest man in the world, and I realized who he really was and I believe that is the day I became a man. I remember that day as if it were yesterday, even though it was 45 years ago.
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| Dad, before he worked at the Railroad |
We
purchased Clancy when he was 8 weeks old, and he was our second choice because the one we wanted was already picked. The pup we first picked out was sold to
someone right before we made the long journey to get a dog.
We were not disappointed, as we were excited to get a puppy. However, in
the back of our minds, I thought about it and wondered... was this the right
choice? Time will tell.
In Dad's forty-four years at his job as a railroad worker, he “never” called in sick. He was late for work once because we had gotten fourteen inches of snow; he was late because he walked to work, taking nearly four hours one way. He worked the 2nd shift all his life and any holidays he could get because he made more money to support his family. I was decent with sports, and in my freshman year of high school, I placed 2nd in the state. He never attended any of my games or performances due to his work commitments.
Clancy grew fast and strong. He was the first male Border Collie I ever owned, and I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew what I saw, and I liked it. He was not marked like a traditional BC with a full collar; he was not the “standard.” Our first choice was marked like a “standard” Border Collie, and I always wondered… was Clancy the right choice?
As a child, my mother was the disciplinarian in the house, and boy, did she need to do a good
job, but I will tell you, I needed it like the time I climbed up the china
cabinet at my favorite Aunt's house and pulled it over on top of me, breaking ALL
the dishes or the time when I was six. The family was sitting in church, and I got inside Mom’s
purse, retrieved a Tampon, and turned around to face the rear of the church, pretending to “smoke” it; I thought I was so cool. The more I pretended, the more people laughed. Unfortunately, we sat in one of the front pews, and Mom turned toward me when she heard the laughs…
Needless to say, I was in trouble again.
Dad never raised a hand to anyone, but his words commanded respect.
Clancy grew into a strong adult dog and needed a strong hand, as most do. I wanted him to be a self-controlled dog, and we worked diligently to achieve that goal. He would obey me with any command and would come to me even when he knew he was in trouble. He didn’t want to, but he did out of respect. Clancy never got a lot of pampering from me because it would make him soft, or so I thought. He would not get in my lap but lay at my feet, knowing his station in life. He did get on my bed the morning he passed away, which was rare. He laid his head on my chest and fell asleep while I stroked his head. I now think he knew he was leaving this earth and was saying goodbye.
I
was twenty-one years old before I told my dad I loved him, and when I did, it
was also the first time he told me. He
had been rushed to the hospital for what we thought was a heart attack, and as I
sat alone in the mustard yellow un-air-conditioned room, I thought it
was now or never; I wanted to tell him but was afraid of what I would not hear from him. We thought he was dying, but thank God, it
was a heat stroke; he had been working outside too hard without any breaks… go
figure… but that brief moment changed our lives forever. After that day, not a day went by that I didn’t see or talk to Dad, and we always told
each other, “I love you.”. At times, I
still see him walking in my mind's eye and whisper to him.
As Clancy became the boss dog on the farm, I saw a wonderful change. He was self-assured, confident, and willing to help, taking care of the farm's needs. I saw him protect us from critters and stray dogs, protecting his turf, the other dogs, and our home, and at times sending unwanted dogs to the Vet for repair. He was a gentle giant of a dog, both inside and out, afraid of nothing or anyone, and his eyes would pierce your soul and command any dog, but to his family and friends, he was the most gentle dog ever.
My
Dad passed away unexpectedly in front of me. Earlier that very day,
he told me he was ready to “go home” during lunch. We
were cutting a tree down, and I said, “You can go home; I've got it from here.”
He said he was “ready to go to heaven.” I laughed and told him I was too. He went "Home." Thirty minutes later, he was gone. Packed away, I have a branch from that very tree and the hat he was wearing in an airtight container, and I will take it out at times just to smell him again.
Before that hot day in July when I was thirty-two, we didn’t have much of a relationship.
I respected him and always did what I was told and taught. Was he a great dad? He was raised in an orphanage and left when he was fifteen, working independently during the Depression. As a dad myself, I learned many lessons from my dad, including what to do and what not to do, and I listened.
Dad knew everything and could fix anything, and as I kneeled next to him, waiting for the ambulance, Daddy took his last breath. I thought that all the knowledge he had would soon vanish, but what I didn’t know, I would pick it up and did.
Clancy sired many wonderful pups; he is what he is because of his lineage, family, work ethic, and upbringing. His make-up was almost predetermined; little did I know that when we got our "second choice," we got the best. When he was about 2 years old, I researched his pedigree and was surprised, but it never mattered; he was our Clancy.
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| Clancy's Great Grandfather, Del-Mar Turk |
Some
might say that the best Dad is always there doing everything with their children, and I’m sure that may be true, but
it wasn’t in the cards that were dealt to me. But
what I learned from Dad was not taught at a ball game or at a swing set. It was learned from watching him keep his
word, teaching Sunday School, doing for others, doing what it took to make things
right, and watching him literally get on his knees to give “thanks” before going to bed every night. Dad was turned into an orphanage home along with his 4 brothers and sisters when his mother died and lived the life from hard knocks, but rather than let it beat him down, he worked hard and persevered.
Clancy wasn’t our first choice at the time, but I’m glad it worked out the way it did. I will tell you, I wouldn’t change a thing… Clancy was a great dog dad, he may not have pampered the pups with licks and attention, but he was their rock and protector, not only of his pups but any dog or pup that was from the farm. I remember walking to the kennel and looking back at Clancy, and, in an instant, I realized he was the best dog in the world. I wish I could see Clancy and Dad again today, but I know they're waiting for me. It’s funny how things work out the way they do, and I’m glad it did…
Happy
Father’s Day! Remember to let your father know you love them. While I didn't always have the best one who went to sports and social events, he taught me many more important things that I, too, passed along to my son. He prepared me to survive through this life and the hereafter, giving me everything I needed and more.
Dad, Clancy… I love you! See you soon. Ken…
Following are some of Clancy's Great Grandfathers accomplishments over
the last 9 years that he competed:
1997 British Columbia Open Cow Dog of the Year.
1998 British Columbia Open Super Dog (Must stand in the
top 30% in both sheep and cattle trials. Turk is the only dog in British Columbia to win
the Super Dog Award since these standards were established)
1999 Calgary Stampede Stock Dog $hoot-Out finalist.
2000 CBCA Canadian National Finals 2nd Runner-up.
2001 Calgary Stampede Stock Dog $hoot-Out finalist.
2001 CBCA Canadian National Finals, 5th. Place.
2001 British Columbia Open Sheep Dog of the Year.
2002 Calgary Stampede Stock Dog $hoot-Out $10,000.00
Grand Champion.
2002 British Columbia Open Sheep Dog of the Year.
2002 Farm Fair International Stock Dog Trial 3rd.
Place.
2002 Wild West Cattle Dog Grand Champion at the North
American Sheep Dog Championship, Tejon Ranch, Lebec, CA.
2003 Winner of the San Pasqual Sheep Dog Trial at
Murietta, CA, and 3rd overall in the three-trial Hospitality series at 10 years
of age.
Has placed in the top ten at the Western Canadian
Championships for the last 5 years.
2003 Winner of the Del'mar Driving Championship at the
Western Canadian Championship.
2003 CBCA Canadian National Finals 7th Place.
2003 Reserve British Columbia Open Sheep Dog at 10 1/2
years of age.
Has won the Perpetual Trophy for Best BC Dog and Handler
at the CBCA Nationals the last 4 years.
Has won the Perpetual Trophy for Best BC Dog and Handler
at the Western Canadian Championship the last 3 years.
Winner of numerous sheep and cattle dog trials both in
Canada and the United States.
