HUNGERFORD ARCADE “POODLES AND PEARS”

Hello Again,

 

I was travelling on one of the GWR’s brand new trains the other day when it broke down for a while much to the amusement (or not) of my fellow passengers.   Like many people, I think a lot on trains and this journey was no exception.

 

Who would Chelsea sign in the transfer window?

 

Would I ever learn to cook successfully?

 

Why were these wonderful but brittle trains not built in the UK rather than overseas?

 

But by far the most interesting thought I had was what has changed since the 1970s?   I did not have to think hard about this.  There are no longer children bouncing around on space hoppers and flying to other planets, (pity).

 

We corresponded with each other then instead of hanging out on mobile phones.  Trolls were rather cute dolls that came from Denmark.  Trains from Hungerford actually travelled west.  The Labour Party was still electable.

 

There were only three television channels unlike the two million and three we enjoy today.  And one could walk down any street in any town and find a Poodle Parlour.

 

The last thought detained me as I could not recall the last time that I had passed one of these places of canine misery.  When I lived in Ealing in the 1970s there was one not far from Hanwell Railway Station (I think it was called Bettina Poodle).

 

I often watched the poodles being marched out by their rather odd owners wondering why they now resembled a cream puff from the local bakery.

 

Poodles are very intelligent dogs second only, I believe, to Border Collies in the Wittgenstein Scale and I shared their pain as they walked towards the Uxbridge Road with their street cred shot to zero.

 

I have never in my adult years kept a dog as it was not practical and cats are much  easier.  You do not have to walk cats and they do not give a fig whether you are alive or dead as long as you feed them and buy them those cute toys at Christmas.

 

We have a cat called Ike who is sixteen on Valentines Day.  He is very loving when he bites and scratches you and his behaviors make George the Third look sane.  But, Caron and I love him especially when he screams in our sleeping ears at three in the morning asking to go out.

 

But, this very short article is not about cats or poodle parlours but about an unusual find at the

 

Fear not, the Arcade has not taken it into its head to sell poodles or any of our canine friends.

 

But yes, I did purchase a poodle at the Arcade a few days ago.  Was it stuffed and placed into a glass case by one of our Victorian ancestors so it could look miserable for eternity (no).

 

Was it one those darling little Wade models with Bognor Regis printed on its bum (no).

 

Was it a children’s toy dating from around 1910 with glass eyes and a real leather collar (yes).

 

I actually passed it as I walked up the left hand passage although, I was vaguely aware of its presence.  As with many people, I lightly collect Victorian and Edwardian soft toys and when I passed the poodle again, I caught its glance.  Those liquid canine eyes seduced me and the poodle was almost saying to me that it was over one hundred years old and it deserved a loving home (yuk).

 

I picked it up noting that is was advertised as being well loved and indeed, there were bare patches where darling children had tortured it before it was time to listen to the Night Garden on the wireless.

 

As I held it I swear it rubbed its threadbare paws on my frozen fingers as a gesture of love (or it might have been that I was trying not to drop the pears that I had previously purchased).  And by the time I passed Don’s stall, we were an item and were discussing first names as I paid for my new friend at the counter.

 

On a serious note, I was very pleased to have found this Edwardian/Georgian soft toy. The last thing that I expected to find when I entered the Arcade was a rather beautiful poodle.

 

It is the first poodle that I have ever seen in the Arcade in over a decade.  I have seen a lot of bears and the occasional cat but no poodles to speak of.

 

Meerkats are so yesterday and I will not give house room to zebras or unicorns.  But, the poodle hit the right spot and since my purchase, we have been planning our future together.

 

As we all know they are hunting dogs who swim very well and can be relied on to fetch the unfortunate ducks and other birds that the hunters have needlessly murdered.

 

Although these poor dogs can be dyed pink and made to resemble the unthinkable, they are very loyal dogs who do not mind roughing it in the most awful of conditions.

 

As I have noted, I am in no rush to keep a dog but this antique stuffed poodle will do.  My granddaughter has already said it was manky when I sent her a photo on my phone (children are so honest) and I know that Caron might be less than impressed with me (nothing new).  But, the poor poodle needed a home and I hope that our loving care will help it pass the next few years in peace.

 

Happy Hunting

 

Stuart Miller-Osborne