IT'S A DOG'S LIFE
January 22, 2010 11:30 amI haven't posted in awhile so I thought I would use today to write about what a sad anniversary for America and its children today is; instead though I thought there is already enough sadness in the world and what could I write about our nation's greatest sin that has not already been written, and by people who are much more capable than myself. So, I am going to try and keep it light and write mostly about the topic of the title to this blog.
Mainly what follows will be some of the thoughts I had while earlier walking Virgil to the park and back. I was up early this morning and after doing a little writing I tried to quietly raid the refrigerator in order not to wake everyone else. I made a two-egg omelet with every green-growing thing that was available to me, and (thankfully) I had a good variety to choose from... then I walked my little boy.
Our side yard is heavily wooded and God brings a lot of His creatures through it: I like to think that it is for my enjoyment: it is my reward for not sleeping much. If you are up early enough it is not uncommon to see deer running through. Just last week there was a young buck who nervously stood his ground for several seconds before bounding away in yard-grabbing strides.
The last time I picked up our empty trash-cans from the front yard there was a young raccoon trapped in the bottom. I called the little ones out to see him before I tipped it out to let him safely run away. Of course, not before I heard an admonition from my wife... "Rob, you know you can't keep him." In reality she didn't need to say anything because I had already promised myself that after my last one (Rambo) that I would not capture to raise any more of them. Squirrels and opossums abound and there is a family of ground-hogs at the bottom of the wooded area near the flood-wall.
The biggest one is so slow that after seeing him on our patio one morning I still had time to open the door and call Deb out to see him before he could escape back to his home. Then, of course, there are myriad cats and dogs in our locale. There is a reason I am telling all of you this: it has to do with something Virgil does on our walks together... it has to do with scat.
Oliver Wendell Holmes used to write about his fictional character (Sherlock) having the ability to tell where any tobacco had been grown simply by smelling the burnt ash from a cigar. I think Virgil displays some of this same genius, only with a different type of leftover. (lol)
I like it best whenever I am able to walk him to the park (as I did today) and not just in the park in order for him to do his business; as this affords both of us some exercise and it is always fun for me to be able to watch him at play.
Evidently there are many animals that pass along the route which I use and it is easy to know this because the "evidence" is clearly seen. Except for the rare times when I see it too late and I have to scrape it off of my shoes. Though Virgil is an American bulldog (by breed a Scott) I think he is a wannabe bloodhound: because he dearly loves examining all of the evidence left behind by those who have gone before!
Though he stops for every single one... some he only gives a cursory examination before moving forward. There are others though where he likes to do a thorough investigation that apparently involves all of his senses.
This morning there were two such instances. He will stand above the "evidence" and his shoulder muscles appear taught. After inhaling deeply a few times he will look up in my direction... but by then he will have that thousand-yard-stare and I know he is not seeing me at all, but he's lost in concentration trying to understand what his senses are telling him.
Have you ever been driving on a long road trip and suddenly you realize that you are 30 miles farther down the road than when you last remembered? That's what I mean by the thousand-yard-stare... you're there and capable of interacting with your surroundings, but your mind is far, far away. Most of the time my wife accuses me of having that look whenever she is talking to me. (lol)
Now, if you are not an animal person in general, or a dog person in particular, you might want to skip what immediately follows: else, you could be a little grossed out. During these times (for Virgil) after inhaling deeply a few times and giving that far-away look, he will lift his head a few inches and begin to work his jaw muscles as if he is eating his favorite treat. Please keep in mind that he is not eating anything, he never gets that close, evidently that act of working his jaw must release chemicals into his brain which might help him to better understand something about the dog who was recently there. However, for all intents-and-purposes it does look as if he is eating: gross huh?
Though I have no sure way of knowing this I imagine the ones he examines so closely are probably deposited there by females. Maybe after everything has been sorted out by his senses he has the following realization: "Female ... (good) about 55 pounds ... (just right) good healthy coat ... (I like 'em shiny) prime of life ... (great) strong pedigree ... (wonderful) ... va-va-voooom!" Of course that is what I would like to imagine, otherwise... it is kind of gross to watch. But, I love him anyway.
I have even thought how great it would be to actually be able to see the world through their eyes and to have the capability of perceiving with their senses our surroundings. Although, there are a few things I just would not cotton to. I mean, have you ever watched two friendly dogs who meet for the first time? I much prefer an old fashioned handshake... thank you very much! I mean... get a room!
I began with the thought of it being "a dog's life." Though such a phrase is usually given a bad connotation, I think as long as the dog is treated well it could be a very good life. Think about it... no job or school to go to, your food is provided, and you have no particular cares in the world... might be kind of fun.
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
posted by Robin Johnson @ 11:37 AM
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