"Nobody likes that dog. That dog is certainly not coming to my house. No one else wants her at his or her house either. Put her in a kennel. Take her with you to St. Louis." I cried. I had to get out of there before I said something really bad. I did not know why I cried, and why I had to leave. Even to me it seemed silly, at first. Over reaction in the extreme! Then I realized, Daxie has become a 6th child for me, and I suspect my husband too, only he was not with me to defend Daxie. I was as hurt to hear those awful things said about our dog, as I would have been if they were said about one of our children.
I always thought it was somehow strange and a little sad to come across a person, generally an older person, who seems overly attached to their animal, treating it like a child, taking it everywhere, and perhaps even putting cutesy cloths on it. But here I was, extremely offended that they did not like and refused to temporarily care for my 'child', Daxie.
All our children except one are long gone from the nest, and the one left is only home part time, being a college student. Daxie,a very small beagle, who has been in our family for over 9 years, is slowly becoming a substitute child for all those who have flown the coop. I even find myself referring to my husband and I as Mama and Daddy to Daxie when we are alone in our house. The dog sleeps with us, and my husband and I regularly exchange stories of the cute things our 'dog-child' has done, just like we used to about our human children when they were at home. Does this behavior make us old or just a little deranged?
In any case, a pox upon those who do not love Daxie as do we. Put Daxie in a kennel? How dare you suggest that? Daxie has never been left in a kennel, why she won't even go for a walk if she smells a dog that has been by our house too recently for her liking. And if either my husband or I raise our voices, even in joy, Daxie hides, until we tell her it is Ok. Daxie, we think, must have been the runt of the litter, and as such defers to all others in the world. Going on the trip with us would also not work. She just would not do well on a long trip. Every place would be strange to her and full of smells of frightening things. She would probably spend the entire trip with her tail between her legs and hiding as often as possible.
Well, I know there is one person, who was absent from this loathsome gathering where our 'child' was attacked, who loves Daxie. She will take care of Daxie while we are away. But just why would anyone not love Daxie?
5 comments:
Ma, the dog is incontinent, and you are intentionally mis-quoting us.
Not "no one" likes the dog. I personally don't like the dog, already have two cats and another dog, and therefore don't want Daxie staying at my house. The loud LOUD howling and the constant scratching of my legs drives me nuts.
Jerry actually likes Daxie. He probably is more worried about the dog peeing on things than anything else.
No, I did not miss quote you or Jerry. And, besides, this posting was not realy about the dog, and you know that. It was about how I find myself feeling about the dog, in reaction to what was said.
You did misquote. You combined things we both said into one wierd uberquote.
And you said "a pox" on anyone who doesn't subscribe to your views on the dog. What an odd requirement.
Ma, I love you, but I shouldn't have to love that dog.
Yes, I put both you and Jerry together in one quote, for expediency sake, but the words are correct. Besides, I was writing this for 'public' consumption. I dramatized and exaggerated for effect. One is allowed to do that when composing a written exposition. It need not be exactitude, if what you want to convey is feelings, not just facts.
Besides, I did not identify the person, or persons quoted in my posting. This was again, on purpose, as I was not complaining about what anyone said. I was exposing on my reaction to it.
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