<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title>03Story-12.html</title> <link href="template.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> </head> <body> <div id="x03Story-12.html"> <div class="story"> <p id="toc_marker-2-12" class="Level-2-2">Chapter 12</p> <p class="Central-Standard-1"><span class="char-style-override-2">Giving Something Back</span></p> <p class="First-Paragraph">After an exhausting two-year whirlwind, the Lee family decided to take a well-earned break - and rented a quiet cottage in a secret location in Cornwall seemed just the perfect way to do it.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Alex, Janine, Lucas and Cuch were joined by Grace, who was now well and truly Lucas’s girlfriend.</p> <p class="Main-Text">No-one considered going abroad for a holiday because it was all much too complicated and tiring trying to ensure Cuch could go with them. So it was in Cornwall that Cuch was able to enjoy a well-earned, dance-free two weeks’ restful holiday.</p> <p class="Main-Text">It was while the family were relaxing by the outdoor pool in the sunshine that an idea which the family came up with a few months earlier really started to take shape.</p> <p class="Main-Text">They had never forgotten the plight of the dogs at the rescue centre and had vowed to help if ever they had the money to do it. Now, thanks to Cuch being famous, they could.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The plan was to buy the centre, transform it and have trained, carefully chosen staff to take care of everything. And a bid to take over the centre had already been approved.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The lovely Paul also wanted to contribute funds to the new centre. He had kept in touch with the family since the Donnington show and had even arranged more events where Cuch made guest appearances.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Paul had taken the time to go and visit the centre for himself. He was horrified and he told Janine it broke his heart to think of Cuch languishing there in the cold for months.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Cuch was to perform at the new centre’s opening ceremony which was sure to attract lots of publicity and sponsorship. The family wanted maximum publicity to draw attention the plight of the animals, not just at this rescue centre, but at others across the country. They hoped the publicity would also mean that several of the animals would find new homes.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Their vision was to have a purpose built, luxury, heated animal rescue, with piped music, in every town in Great Britain - a model for the rest of the world to follow.</p> <p class="Main-Text">There would be cosy indoor accommodation with individual spacious outdoor runs with toys.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The new building would be renamed The Cuch Bayley Centre.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The press was to be invited to cover the event - except Mr Greyman.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Janine gave Paul a call as she relaxed by the pool and they decided, with the work they had already done on the project so far, a target opening date of two months for the new centre to open was feasible.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“How’s Jodie?” Janine couldn’t resist asking him.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Ditched her - for good this time,” came the reply.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Good!” she said, unable to help herself.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Fortunately Paul laughed.</p> <p class="Main-Text">During the holiday Janine took time to answer Cuch’s fan mail. She had brought a sackload of it with her. Every day the post lady delivered letters ‘To Cuch, The Dancing Dog, Cannock, Staffordshire’ - some from abroad.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Janine did her best to answer as many as possible and even enclosed a photo of Cuch with his paw print on it. It was her favourite photo - the one with Cuch wearing his bandana and standing in rock pose.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Cuch received letters from dog lovers, from children, from rock fans and from adults with a sense of humour.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Amongst the pile of letters was one which stood out, because it was in a very official-looking envelope which had a crest imprinted on it.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Intrigued, Janine opened the letter. It read:</p> <p class="Main-Text"/> <p class="Main-Text"/> <p class="Main-Text"/> <p class="Main-Text"/> <p class="Verse-First--Above">“Dear Mr and Mrs Lee,</p> <p class="Verse-First--Above">We would like to congratulate you on the extraordinary success and popularity of your dog, Cooch (spelt wrong).</p> <p class="Verse-Second-">We would like you to consider allowing Cooch to have his paw print immortalised in the Birmingham Walk of Fame.</p> <p class="Verse-Second-">Cooch’s paw print would then be a permanent feature for tourists to view in the town centre.</p> <p class="Verse-Second-">His paw print would be alongside other Brummie celebrities including Ozzy Osbourne.</p> <p class="Verse-Second-">The council has considered that as Cooch was found in Aston, Birmingham, he would qualify to be installed on the Walk of Fame, which is modelled on the Hollywood tourist attraction in America.</p> <p class="Verse-Second-">The council would organised maximum publicity and your family and friends would be treated to an all expenses paid day out with buffet lunch.</p> <p class="Verse-First--Above">We look forward to hearing from you.</p> <p class="Verse-Second-">Yours sincerely...”</p> <p class="First-Paragraph">“This is just mad!” Janine shrieked - but in a way which suggested it was a ‘nice’ kind of mad.</p> <p class="Main-Text">As usual, the reaction from everyone was laughter.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Cuch - on the Walk of Fame?” Alex said.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Well why not? He’s just about the most famous rocker in the Midlands now,” Janine said.</p> <p class="Main-Text">So, after some discussion, it was agreed. Cuch would make his paw print.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“We’ll have to learn a new move,” Lucas said. And he started practising plodding one foot down purposefully.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“I’ll call that ‘the ploddit’!” he said casting an eye at Cuch basking in the sunshine. Cuch managed to give a lazy smile.</p> <p class="Main-Text">And so another bonkers episode began.</p> </div> </div> </body> </html>