If you’re a fan, you will instantly recognise Columbo: the cigar, creased raincoat, deshevelled hair and dark-green tie.
I grew up with Columbo, and to this day I watch it all the time. That’s no exaggeration. Between the occasional film, documentary and dose of YouTube, Columbo is my staple.
I’m a peace-loving kinda gal, but Columbo has taught me how to get away with murder:
First, always make sure the servants are on the premises. The moment you tell Columbo that the maid and butler were on leave, you’ve had it. Well, that should be easy. Not much cause for an army of servants in our three-bed semi.
Second, when developing your alibi, never ask people the time, or find an excuse to tell them the time. Harold, nobody is interested in seeing your fancy digital watch (Playback). Way too obvious.
Third, don’t be too helpful. The murderers always have an explanation for everything to aid the bumbling detective. Just play along. Pretend to be stupid. Simple.
I also have Columbo to blame for a year of getting up at 4 am in the morning.
When we decided that it was a good time to bring another dog into our lives, guess what we went for…
This is Bo (short for Columbo) and also the name of the victim in ‘Blueprint for Murder’.
We did plenty of research on basset hounds (not just watching episodes with Dog in) before taking the plunge.
However, nothing quite prepares you for having a basset in your life. Even our first visit to the vets was greeted by: ‘Do you know what you’re letting yourself in for?’ followed by laughing.
I’ll not lie, it’s been a challenging year, but Bo is just the sweetest lump of a dog. Patience is definitely the key. I’ve come to realise that he’s not naughty, it’s just that commands are seen as optional. Everything is a question:
Sit = Would you like to rest your legs for a while?
Come here = Do you fancy coming in from the garden?
Leave = Is there something else you’d rather chew?
