It was quite a number of years ago, one grey day in late winter. A small plane went over just under the cloud cover, did a circuit around and landed from the south. The pilot spun it around out front here in the skiff of snow and taxied down towards the far end of the strip, down towards the hot spring campsite end. He idled down there for a bit cooling off before shutting it down and I could see a soul get out and start down towards the hot spring. I had only been out here a few years at that point, things were still pretty basic around here and after spending the Winter reading the same books, watching the same VHS movies, and puttering around at the same thing, going down and checking out the airplane sounded like the most fun I was going to have all day.
So off I went down the check out the little yellow aircraft. I don't get too far from it when I see a head pop up in the back seat. He has brought his big friendly dog along for the ride and I thought it funny he didn't let it out to go with him. I forget what the plane was, but doggie and I had a good chat and I teased him with my finger through the side Plexiglas window, making doggie draw big circle smears on the inside with his nose. It wasn't the first nose smears on it so I didn't feel bad, and what tail he had was thumping furiously on the seat.
"OK, see ya around pup, I'll go talk to your co-pilot" I said, and continued down to the hot spring.
I found him there at the tubs, he had just stopped in for a quick soak and was on his way back.
There were no other campers there and he was surprised to see me. I told him I had walked down from the other end of the property, and was interested in seeing his plane.
"Well its a good thing you didn't go near my aircraft" he states, "I leave my Pluto in the plane when I'm somewhere, he keeps people away from it", he says seriously.
"That's a good idea, you can't be too careful these days" I said.
Well we walk back towards his plane, and get a stones throw away when I see the dog head pop up, takes a short look in our direction when all hell breaks loose in the back seat.
"See what I mean!" he says.
"I've never seen such a thing" I stated shaking my head.
And I've not seen plane, pilot, or Pluto since.