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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Readers may recall a curious snippet in the Feb. 20 edition of Yellowknifer. John Alexander, a longtime resident of Yellowknife, sent a classified ad to the newspaper pleading for the return of his pet cable spool, aptly named "Rollie."

John Alexander lavishes affection on his pet "Rollie" - a cable spool he thought had disappeared for good a week earlier. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

He said he didn't notice it missing at first.

"You get so used to Rollie being in the front yard that you come home one day and don't notice he's not there," said Alexander.

It wasn't until Tuesday, Feb. 17, that John's wife informed him that his pet spool, which he used mainly for decoration, had disappeared from in front of their home, a building known around town as the former site of John A's Dinosaur Emporium on Macdonald Drive. By then fresh snow had covered any tracks that would have led the owner to his spool.

Given the inactive habits of the common cable spool, Alexander began to think that Rollie may not have rolled away on his own. He took a look around the neighbourhood and, after finding nothing, placed his ad in the paper.

"I really didn't expect much, but sure enough I got a call! And the gentleman on the other end was honestly embarrassed and apologized," said Alexander.

As it turns out, some younger members of this fellow's family had found Rollie and decided to bring him home. The gentleman was unaware, until reading the snippet in the paper, of where the spool had come from, or who owned it. Upon realization, he sent Rollie home on Saturday, Feb. 21.

"Everyone knew (my dog) Ernie and I never tied him up once," said Alexander.

"I was quite proud of that, that we lived in an area that you didn't have to tie up your pet. And after Ernie, I got Rollie. But I don't think I'm going to tie Rollie up. I think he can still roll around the front yard."