The Fourth Child - Murphy Lai Our fourth child "Murphy"- a Jack Russell, entered our lives about three years ago. A small bundle who delivered both happiness and chaos into our lives. We set about welcoming him into our home and began organising our lives around his busy schedule. We had developed certain routines around this little ball of energy, one of them preventing his escape from our house. It started to seem like somewhat of a fixation for Murphy to escape, and at every opportunity that came his way he tried to bail out for freedom! One morning Murphy had success. In a brief moment when our backs were turned, he successfully escaped from our house via the open garage door. You could almost imagine him chanting "Freedom, freedom, freedom" as he took off down the drive way at an impressive rate of knots. Murphy escaped directly into the pathway of an oncoming car. Poor little fellow was bowled over, and lay at the side of the road yelping in pain. We raced to his aid, discovered he was quite badly hurt, and then loaded him into the family car.(AKA doggy ambulance!) First stop local vet, Murphy's GP, who advised us to take him to nearby Murdoch University-- the specialists. I began to cringe at this. I could already smell the money leaving my pocket. We all set off to Murdoch, Murphy being nursed gently in the back seat. Arrived at the D.A.E (Doggy Accident and Emergency) Murphy was quickly seen by the on duty specialist who came to me to deliver the news. Murphy has broken his hip. He may require surgery. The other specialist explained all the options shortly. Why is that they always come to the father? In front of my family, the doggy specialist gave us the options regarding what he could do for Murphy. These options were followed directly by the prices. There were only two. The first of these options cost only $50.00. This involved Murphy receiving a painless, but fatal overdose of anaesthetic, putting him to sleep. The second procedure would cost $4,500.00 and would involve Murphy receiving a metal ball and socket joint to replace his badly damaged hip. I was ready to decide. I decided that the best option was to pay the $50.00 and released poor Murphy into the great doggy heaven in the sky. Then I happened to take a quick glance around the room. There were my other children. Red and puffy eyed, the odd tear trailing a silent path down a flushed cheek. My wife, tissue in hand, nervously dabbing at her own red eyes, trying to hold it together for the children. Then there was the doggy specialist, gentle look of concern for the children, slightly mocking glare for me. My family stared at me with red, pleading, expectant eyes. How much of a bastard do I feel? Here they were waiting for me to make the decision to save poor Murph's life. And I was standing there, not because I was heartless or a tight wad, or at least that was what I kept telling myself, but because I was a realistic. It was all right to only spend the $50.00 and put Murphy out of his misery. The red eyes and tear stained cheeks start to work their magic. Soon I had tears running down my own face. Not from the emotion created by the suffering of my poor little dog, or by the tear soaked faces of my family, but from the realization that there was no way I was leaving this surgery without a $4,500.00 debt on my credit card. Not without my children never speaking to me again, or my wife deciding we no longer have a sex life. The fear of this reality outweighed the reality of my hefty credit card debt. I gave the go ahead for the operation. The doggy specialist smiled at me. ( I was sure it's more of a leer!) Murphy was on his way to theatre for the implantation of his new ball and socket hip! I was on my way to bankruptcy!! Several hours later we learnt that Murphy was fine and his metal hip was in place. Super Murphy-the Bionic Dog had made it. Super Murphy is back home and running around in a fashion that would make, Steve Austin, the Bionic Man, very proud. Mean while I am still crying, and still holding the credit card bill. Little Murphy would want to make sure he lives a long time I can tell you!! By Andrew Lai