The Guide

Ofara the Witch had never liked dogs.  She thought them messy creatures, both in their behavior and in their emotions.  Just
like men, she thought, which was why she never married any of her lovers or allowed any of them to live in her little flat.  Only
once had she allowed herself to get involved with a dog.

It was a winter midmorning and the roads were wet, as heavy rains had fallen the night before, filling every pit and hole in the
ground with water.  Ofara was going about some business along a street - a little person with dark hair and eyes, wearing her
usual clothes in dark colors, walking briskly, seemingly deep in thoughts - when she saw it.

There was a new building site on the side of the street, which was now a pond full of water almost to the brim.  Not far into it,
someone had thrown a sack, which at first sight could have been full of rubbish.  Still, Ofara paused to look and noticed it
moving rather violently.  A live creature was inside that sack that someone wanted to get rid of.

She looked around and saw a man passing by - too busy with his thoughts to notice.  She approached and said to him, "You
must help me.  Someone put a little puppy inside that sack to drown it and I'm going to get it out of that pond."

The man looked at her with astonishment, then at the thing in the water.  "How do you know it's a puppy?" he asked,
suspiciously.

"Will you help me?" the Witch insisted, looking into his eyes.

Silently, he nodded.

They managed to slip between the poles that served as a fence around the site.  The man found a long stick and with not too
much difficulty, he succeeded in pulling the sack onto dry ground.  Ofara took hold of it and thanked him and they returned to
the street outside the site.

"Do you need any more help?" he asked, looking on as she opened the sack, took out the puppy and started rubbing it gently.
 She shook her head and he left, still looking at her over his shoulder, shaking his head.

"Now cutie," Ofara said half to the puppy, half to herself, "what shall I do with you?" She still had neither the inclination nor the
knowledge of how to take care of a small animal - which might, for that matter, grow into a big one. Holding it to her chest,
she rose and started walking slowly, thinking.

But the answer was not far away.  She stopped a taxi and gave it directions, holding the creature under the cover of her coat.  
They drove to a suburb on the outskirts of town and she alighted, sending the taxi away and approaching a house that stood
a little apart from the rest.  She did not go to the door but went around the house, to the yard behind it.  There, a few cages
had been built to house a couple of dogs.  The beginning of a kennel - not yet a commercial size.

Still, both the area and the animals seemed well looked after, as Ofara thought when watching the man who came now toward
her.  "Ofara, what brings you here so early in the day?" he welcomed her.

He was quite young, in his early twenties, his dark hair disheveled and his hazel eyes worried.  Only his wide smile told a
different story.

"It's nearly lunchtime, Lance," the Witch commented, "but I suppose you've been up since dawn."

"I have to finish here before I go to class," he admitted. "But what've you got here?"

"I confess I rescued it from a pond at a new building site.  I brought it straight to you, as I don't fancy looking after it myself."

"Oh, he's so cute!" Lance cried as he took the puppy from Ofara's hands.  "He couldn't have been in the water too long, he
looks almost all right  - just wet and cold and must be hungry as well.  Let's see what we can do for him."

They went into the house through the back door, and Ofara marked to herself for the umpteenth time the way the ground
floor of the house was arranged more for looking after animals than for human habitation.  The living room was spacious, with
only few pieces of old furniture scattered around.  A wide and fairly worn carpet covered the floor, making it pleasant for tired
or sick animals to lie on; some shelved cases stood by the walls, carrying equipment and medicines to look after the animals.

Lance put the puppy on the floor and went to fetch a bottle with milk.  When he came back and started feeding the little
creature, Ofara looked at him for a moment, then said, "I've got it!"

The man raised his eyes to her. "Got what?"

"You should train him to guide the blind," the Witch said, determinedly.

"What are you talking about?" he wondered.  "He's just a puppy, you can't tell what he'll grow up into at this stage!"

"Just the same, I'm telling you," she insisted.  "You must train him to guide the blind."

Lance shrugged, went on with his task and said nothing besides murmuring under his nose, "As you say."  He had known his
friend and her strange abilities for a couple of years now, and was not going to argue the point.  The puppy seemed quite
healthy and happy to feed, as if nothing terrible had ever been going to happen to him.

He really must be a very resilient creature, Ofara thought. "One day," she said, "you'll have to make this house more suitable
for human habitation than a dog clinic."

Lance put the puppy on the carpet and looked up at the Witch. "And what day this might be?" he asked.

"The day you bring your bride into it," she said simply, but her deep, black eyes danced.

"You don't mean that!" he cried out with a laugh. "Anyway, I don't know any girl who'd come here, unless she brings a sick
dog with her."

"Of course I mean it, a handsome chap like you, Lance!  Don't they already run after you at College?"

"I have no time for girls," he murmured, his head bent as he checked the puppy for any ailments.  "The dogs are more
important."

"Ha," said the Witch.  "I know your mother threw you and your dogs out of the house, but it doesn't mean all girls are like
that."

"Well, I'm not interested!" he said, almost harshly and Ofara decided to say nothing more. The puppy was falling asleep now
and Lance began preparing a place for him to stay.  Ofara knew he would stay inside the house for the time being, until he
grew bigger and stronger, unless Lance found a buyer for him.  As he was too busy to offer her any refreshment, she took her
leave and returned to her business in town, having called another taxi to take her back.  As usual, she did not bother about
moving magically, unless things were urgent and must be kept secret.

II

"Ofara," the woman who had come to see the Witch said urgently, "you must help me with Raya."  She was a tall person with
an impressive poise, as befitting an important member of the city's municipality.  Raya was her eighteen-year-old daughter,
who was attending the local college.

"What is it, Brenda? I thought she was doing well in her studies," Ofara replied, looking closely at her friend.  Brenda's face was
unusually cloudy, standing in great contrast to her elaborate hairdo and make-up; her usually bright, shiny blue eyes looked
deep and dark from her worry.  Last year her husband died and although she did not lack new suitors, it did not seem to Ofara
as if Brenda was in the mood for romance.

"She has been doing well until this term," she said, her voice tight.  "But since the beginning of this Spring Term, it seems that
something has happened and her heart is not in her studies.  The thing is, she won't talk to me!  And she doesn't talk to her
best friends as well, as far as I know, because I asked one or two of them and they know nothing, or at least they pretend not
to know. What can I do?'

"You think she would talk to me, then?" Ofara asked, doubting.

Brenda looked at the Witch from behind her half-closed lids, saying cunningly, "Well, Ofara, I do know what you can do, and
what you sometimes know without being told."

Ofara uttered a short laugh and nodded her head.  Just the same, she said, "Can't you guess at the trouble at all?"

"I never could," Brenda said simply.  "When her father was alive, she would turn to him, but now... "

Ofara nodded again.  She always thought it was ironic that a person who coped so well in her managing profession, was so
helpless in her personal affairs.

"There is no physical change in her, is there?"

"Not that I could notice.  Would you see her, then?"

"Of course.  I've always cared for Raya, and if she needs help, I'd better know about it."

                                                                          ***

It was not difficult to find Raya on the College lawn at break time, as it was a dry, warm day for a change.  Ofara made a
beeline toward the girl, sitting on her own, while all round her life was bustling at its highest.  She had a book on her knees,
but she was not reading, just looking aimlessly at some undefined distance.  There was a look in her eyes that the Witch found
troublesome, but was not able to identify.

"Hi, Raya," she greeted.

"Ofara!  Mother sent you, then?"

"May I sit with you for a moment?" asked the Witch.

"The lawn is free for anyone to sit on," said Raya, raising her lovely blue eyes to her, sparkling with gold like the sea under the
sun.  The moment she looked into them, the Witch knew that the girl could barely see what was in front of her.

"What're you reading?" she asked, as she sat down beside her.  Raya closed the cover on her hand and showed it to Ofara.  
"A medical book?"  That would be a surprise, because her major studies were in literary history, but now that she knew...

"Have you seen a doctor, then?" she asked.

"I've seen a couple, and undergone a few tests.  They all say the same thing - there's nothing to be done, it's the nerve."  She
looked dejected as she gazed down at the closed book, and the tears stood in her eyes.

"You never told your mother," Ofara said as a fact, not an accusation.

"How could I?  With all her own problems, and my father not here to share it, to support her, and me... " she said in a
detached way, looking at her own problems as if they were standing on the side.

"So, what are you going to do?  What about your studies?"

"What is there to do? I can barely find my way about just going between my room, the classes and the dining hall!  I'm afraid
to go outside and soon I'll see nothing. What shall I do then?  I'll kill myself!"

Ofara was silent for a few moments, letting the problem appear in all its severity before the two of them.  "Have you ever taken
any biology classes?" she asked at last.

"What for?  I'm not interested in animals.  I can't talk to them about literature, can I?" she was laughing bitterly from under
her tears.

"There are ways," the Witch said as she rose.  "I'll see you later," she said and walked away.

                                                                          ***

It was late afternoon a few months later, and Raya was sitting again on the law, basking in the lowering sun.  Spring was
there, but it was not reflected in her attitude, as it was in the other College students.  This time she took no book with her, as
it was becoming too tiring to read anything.  She still attended classes, listening without bothering to write anything down.  
More than anything else, she preferred to look at the distance, to dream about things she would never be able to see, events
that would never happen to her, the cripple she was now becoming.

A young man came by, a handsome man with dark hair, hazel eyes and a wide smile - but Raya was unable to see all that.  
Only when he sat down not far from her, did she realize that he had a dog with him.  Raya paid no attention to the man and
his dog - the lawn was free for all, wasn't it?  If they disturbed her, she could always walk away or back to her room; there
were not many places she walked to these days.  Still, she had been gradually becoming more and more sensitive to things
that were happening around her, without even noticing that she was.  In this way she knew, without being aware of the fact,
that the man was pulling the dog to him, whispering in its ear then letting it go.  He must have pulled its leash off, because the
animal started capering around, sometimes getting near the girl and sniffing at her.

"I don't really care for dogs," she turned to him at last.  "Would you call it away from me, please?"

"Sorry.  Here, Buster, come over, the lady is not interested in us."

"Oh, I'm sorry,  I didn't want to hurt your, or his, feelings." Raya said.  "It's just that I don't see very well and I wouldn't know
what to do with a dog so near me."

"Don't worry, we won't bother you.  Why don't you wear glasses if you can't see well?" Lance asked with interest.

Ofara had only said that there was that young girl who might need his help but did not know it yet.  How did Ofara know that
that was the one thing that would attract him to a young girl - needing help?  But of course, she was a witch, wasn't she?  At
least, that's what some people said about her, although Lance didn't know much about such things.

"Glasses wouldn't help," the girl said, "it's the nerve."  She then mustered her courage and held out her hand.  "I'm Raya," she
added.

He rose and came to sit by her side, taking her hand. "Lance."

"You call your dog by a man's name?" she said as a question.

"I don't see much difference between dogs and people," he answered, candidly.

"I can see that he has very good manners, Buster.  Have you trained him yourself?"

"I'm specializing in training guide dogs, although I'm not yet proficient in it," he replied, rather proudly.  "I think Buster can be
a splendid guide for the blind, and I'm training him for this job with the help of an expert," he added, thoughtlessly.

"For the blind!" Raya recoiled.  "Excuse me, I must go!"  She rose and was gone before he had a chance to apologize.

Lance cursed himself.  Didn't Ofara tell him to be careful with that girl?  Ofara was right, he should get to know people better,
and not exclude himself to dogs.  Well, he'd have to go it easy next time, wouldn't he?  He did want to see her again, she had
such lively blue eyes, and he wouldn't mind trying to take that sadness away from them and see how they looked when she
laughed.

III

"I don't know how you did it, Ofara.  I've always said you're a magician." Brenda was overflowing with gratitude.

"A witch, not a magician, it's quite a different power all together," Ofara corrected.  "It worked, then, didn't it?

"Worked?  Like a house on fire!"

"I hope you don't mean that metaphor literally.  How is Raya?"

"Blind!  She was going blind and never told me about her!  What is coming to this generation, can't tell?  Never say a word to
her own Mother!  I would die if I had to do things without my parents, and here she is, as independent as you please!  Well!"

"So," the Witch said, trying to stop the tirade, "how are she and Lance doing; have they got together at last?"

"They are blooming together!  He is a dear boy, really - so caring!  Just the right person for her, since her father died.  They
can't be separated, and I think I can begin talking about marriage."

"And how is Raya getting along with Buster?"

"Who?  Oh, the dog!  Well, I don't quite understand it, because she has never cared much for animals, never wanted a pet like
some children do.  But this one - I don't know how he does it.  It's as if he has an instinct especially for Raya - or is it special
for blind people?  I can't say.  Anyway, I believe she really loves that creature and there is no doubt it loves her!  If you'd ever
told me a dog could be so emotional about a human being... "

"Yes, that's why I can't have them around here. But how is he doing as a guide?

"How?  How should I know?  But I suppose he's all right, otherwise she would not depend on him that much, would she?  
Ofara, I must run.  I never thought of spending so much time with you, but it just occurred to me... "

"What?"

She was already at the door, but turned and said, "You know, you're really an excellent guide yourself, just like that Buster
dog... "

Tala Bar