1975 My Sister Kate

When we lived in New York, we often took a friend with us to shows.  Her name was Susan Kamen and she was an artist.  She made me a t-shirt with Glider's portrait on the front that was a work of art.

One of Susan's paintings

One day I was at her loft and saw a copy of the AKC Gazette lying on her table.  On the cover was a Basenji.  I told her how great it looked, like it was a scene for a painting.  She left the room and when she came back, she was holding a painting of that very scene, the brick wall of her loft, her leather couch, the old wooden table, and the Gazette with the green trees and the Basenji.

"Blush"

Susan's breed was in fact Basenjis.  She had a beautiful little bitch named Bomabwa Blushing Bride, from the top Basenji breeder in the county.  That little girl cleaned up the ribbons everywhere she went.

Susan was a bit of a rebel.  I remember how David was shocked that she didn't shave her armpits though he found it quite a turnon.  My dog Glider absolutely loved Blush.  They slept together in the back of the station to and from the shows. 

Susan always promised us that when Blush had puppies, Glider would be getting one.  



While we lived in Iselin, Susan came through on her promise and gave us a little Basenji puppy, Apu Shimmy Like My Kate.  Kate was adorable.  She was great to show, she basically did it all herself.  But oh my, what a voice.  She would sit in the bedroom window all day and yodel.  One day David came home to find the police in front of our house.  Apparently the neighbor heard the yodeling and thought I was being murdered.  We couldn't risk being evicted, so unfortunately, Kate went back to Susan (and got her championship in 3 shows!).  

"The Basenji produces an unusual yodel-like sound commonly called a 'baroo' due to its unusually shaped larynx.  This trait also gives the Basenji the nickname "soundless dog".

Oh my...  Barkless, yes.  Soundless, far from it.