This small booklet is 40 A6 pages packed with love laughter and tears about the life, eating indiscretions, illness and pluckiness of a beloved dachshund cross. It is a telling of life and of leave-taking by a dog in the midst of a family.
The dog and the spiritual director
Early in 2014, at Campion Centre for Spiritual Direction in Melbourne, I spoke about my dog Oscar, who had recently died. The conversation about him went for longer than I expected and finished like this:
Julie: I think I might have a night where I tell some of Oscar’s stories.
Director: You should make a little book, publish them.
Julie: Oh no, I am way too proud to self-publish. Never have, never will.
Director: Well you might want to think about what Oscar would have to say about that. From what you tell me, he knew a thing or two about humility.
‘I lent Oscar to my downstairs neighbour and a few days later noticed it on her coffee table. She pointed to it, “I hate that book, it makes me cry!” I offered to take it back, “No, no!” she said, “I love that book!”’
– Fiona, St Kilda East, Victoria
‘Read Oscar-the-ten dollar-dog yesterday — so good, so sad, so real.’
– Paul, somethingreal.com.au
‘Fell in love with Oscar.’
– Sheree, Kitchener, Ontario
Oscar-the-ten-dollar-dog can be purchased through Wellspring Centre online bookshop. Please be aware stocks are low and it will soon be superseded by Julie’s new collection, Tender, stories that lean into kindness, which will incorporate most of the stories in the Oscar zine.