Wednesday Morning OT — I Want My Two Dollars

Olde girl will be housesitting the week of July 1 for a neighbor friend who has one cat and two standard poodles. She's had no experience walking and caring for dogs so she'll need some support from me, I guess. I did warn her that the breed is smarter and more athletic than most. Also dogs in general are needier than any of the neurotic boys she's dated. City dogs are downright co-dependent as compared to cats. Cats are their own kind of crazy.

Random poodle from a dead site, not either of the dogs mentioned here

She's capable but needs to keep in mind how strong and intelligent these girls are. They're well-trained and sweet but smarter and more mischievous than any dog needs to be. They will outsmart you. You don't even need to be that smart to outsmart a human. These guys? Run circles around you and make you look like a clod.

Reminded her of when she was about a year old, an early speaker babbling inside the Jolly Roger carrier, pointing up and saying, "Owl tree," which sounded like nonsense until we looked up. About twelve feet up the bole were two residual limbs and a knot which indeed formed the illusion of an owl's visage. (Longtime fans of SQRL, etc [crickets] will remember I was looking for photos I seem to have misplaced [tumbleweed]. A photo of the custom Jolly Roger carrier I wore the kid in and the grainy owl tree pic were the photos I couldn't locate and still can't). Well. The tree was blighted, and it was chopped down. My wife and olde girl wept when they saw the stump. Right then, as if the universe were granting a diversion, a gray standard poodle came up to us like 'Sup? with a head tilt. We couldn't find the owner but her tag said her name was Sadie.

Not Sadie, but Sadie-like. Found on Pinterest but I don't want an account to credit the photographer

We were about to call the number, but Sadie suddenly perked up her ears and dashed toward the side of a house nearby. Hopped the three foot gate. Easily. The front door opened and a man exited. We asked him if he had a poodle named Sadie. He, a bit wary, said yes. We asked if he knew Sadie could hop the fence? Disbelief and then an oh no look. Sadie was peering over the fence like uh-oh.

That's what she'll be dealing with, but with two of those scamps. I feel I should tag along even though she's the one getting paid. I get nothing. Just the satisfaction of leaving our friend with the same number of living animals she left and a daughter who can remain self-confident and relatively free of guilt, at least about this.

Kabaret Sybarit is "The only Danish Dark Cabaret act"

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