Perk

[a_muse_d]

Ben and 4yr old Cletus





Cletus makes me smile every time I see him.
I often go to this dirt dump in North Plains up on Pumpkin Ridge. Up to six times a day. Unless it rains. Then we don't dump there.
They're filling fifteen acres, to eventually be divided into three five-acre lots to be sold.

Ben is a very chill sweet guy. Cletus is exactly the same. He rides the dozer with Ben every day. Doesn't get exited or bark. Just lives the experience with his human buddy.

They actually live in Springfield, 126 miles away, but have a camp at the dump site where they live for two weeks at a time. Every second Friday when all the trucks are done for the day they drive home for the weekend. It rained yesterday, Friday, so he had a free day and left a day early. Ben got to be home for his daughter's 13th birthday. He has three girls.

I'll take a minute or two once or twice a day to chat with Ben, and often he will bring Cletus to my window and lift him up so I can talk to him and pet him because he knows Cletus makes me smile. Every time I see him. He fills my heart with gladness.

Most times there are other trucks there dumping, or waiting their turn to dump, and Ben is either pushing around dirt piles with the dozer that have been dumped, or is standing directing us where he wants the dirt.

Once, at the end of the day, I saw Cletus limping a bit as he was walking around their little camp, and asked Ben about it. Cletus is a chihuahua/dachshund mix, and they have a history of having hip problems. Once in a while Cletus' hip will come out of joint and Ben pops it back into place for him.


Snapshot.