The Dog

I am not sure how I could have forgotten this. Is it a Freudian slip of the mind?

I have become determined to get a dog. I have wanted one ever since we moved into this house, which also coincided with my reading (for the first time) Where the Red Fern Grows with the seventh grade English class I was teaching.

Dereck is the wiser one in this relationship. It is Dereck who understands that we don't need one more cat because we have FIVE. And we don't need a dog because we have three kids, four fish, FIVE cats, and a partridge in a pair tree.

Our house is not that huge. Our yard? Not that huge. Dogs run. They bark. They have loud nails, scratchy nails. They jump.

I want one.

I dragged Dereck to the humane society today. We found a nice dog with a triangle-shaped head. Rottweiler/collie mix. Will eat the children. Next. Two very friendly hound/boxer puppies. Will eat the cats. Next.

Brown dog, don't know what breed. Tortoise shell quiet dog who will match the newly painted jungle room. Some lab puppies made unattractive by the presence of their own poo in the cage, but shouldn't be held against them.

Perhaps our dog isn't among this bunch. Perhaps we should go with a breeder. I tried tonight to cajole our neighbor out of his dog. Nothing doing. Sigh.

Why do I want a dog? They are friendly and loyal and I can talk to it and walk it and pet it-- wait! I have children and cats! Do I need one more thing to love?

Why do I need to defend this so much? I want a freaking dog, bless my heart. Is that so terrible? I want a dog. People want dogs every day. I don't have to defend this or analyze this.

I just want a dog.