The "Radio Dogs" ...
Starting in 1975, there have been 4 "Radio Dogs" who helped me "fix" two-way radios and other
electronic "stuff" for Fire, Police, Business and Railroad customers. They've all been in places
few Dogs ever get to go ... most every Fire & Police station in NE Ohio, a couple jails,
and Casey visited countless Penn Central (later ConRail) Railroad locations.
Casey was probably the most traveled and most "famous" of the Pups -
she grew up with the railroad! She was still a pup when I moved into Ohio, and Penn Central RR
was my largest account ... our railroad buddies never remembered MY name;
but everyone knew "The Radio Dog"! Casey's Best Buddy was the local Captain of the ConRail Police ...
he'd "just stopped to see the Dog" at the shop at least once every 10 days. EVERY time there was a derailment, he'd make sure the Comm & Signals Department called
me to "check the radio" - even if it was functioning normally - he wanted the DOG! I'd get cryptic
calls to "come to the wreck at XYZ Tower, and Bring the Dog!"
"We'd" arrive and I'd go find the C&S group - usually to be told "the radios are OK, but the Captain
will be here in a minute." Sure enough, Cap would rush up within minutes and
announce "Gimmie the DOG - I need her real bad. Where's her LEASH - I gotta have a LEASH!"
I learned to carry one for her on "Wreck Details" - even though Casey NEVER had
to be leashed ... he said no K-9 goes out without a LEASH! He'd hook her up, tell her to HEEL,
and off they'd go to strike fear and fright into the train looters prowling the wreck!
He'd have to keep reminding her - "QUIT *waggin your TAIL! - Look ferocious!" They ALWAYS
had a good time; and Casey could manage to "guard" the occasional looter the Captain arrested ...
he'd catch one and put Casey in a "Down, Stay, WATCH HIM! BITE him if ya have to!" while he
chased down another one or two bad guys. I told him more than once she wouldn't bite a fly,
but he always said "THEY don't know that!" We missed the ole Captain when he retired.
/s/ Phred
/s/ Cinder, Smokey & Heidi
R.I.P. ~ Boots, Bowser, Sherman, & Snoopy
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