So the phone rang yesterday...
RING
RING
(I think it actually rang four times - I am just that s l o w getting up off my stool and lumbering to the phone)
"Hi, it's me!"
"Hey"
"My conference calls are over for the day and before I get started on the rest of the stuff I have to finish I was going to take the puppy for a walk."
"Nice."
"Do you want to come along?"
Well, I hadn't seen LoraDora in months and in the interim she'd gotten a puppy. We'd never met; the puppy and I. It was the prettiest day there had been since the first of the year (albeit chillier than I thought it ought to be)... at the sight of the blue sky and the prospect of being outside in the sunshine my brain shut off.
"I'd love to..."
I knew that the puppy was a Jack Russell.
Jonny Shenks has a Jack Russell that is sheer madness.
I put on a pair of boat shoes (they may be out of style, but you can still get them at Payless - there's a clue for ya), hopped in my car and drove the 1/2 mile to LoraDora's place.
What a charming little guy. He is very well behaved for a ball of energy. He was excited to go for his walk and while I itched his ears LoraDora put on her running shoes...
I had running shoes once.
...my brain was still in the off mode.
On went the collar, click went the leash, the door opened and we were off...
...or should I say...
they were off...
...and I realized that I was out of my mind. This was supposed to be a nice leisurely walk on a early spring afternoon...
"So what have you been up to?"
By this point I knew one thing, there was no way on earth I was going to be able to keep pace with them and hold a conversation. My mind raced for a plan while the staggered breath burned in my lungs.. (running shoes? are you kidding me?)
"Not a lot.
wheeze
Tell me about about the dog."
Two things that will completely occupy the mind and conversation of an adult human are puppies and grandchildren. One might think that children do this but you get very short answers when it comes to babies ("She doesn't sleep" or "He's into everything") I have recently found that grandbaby trumps puppy by a very wide margin, but that's a story too long for a tangent.
The story started and I did my best to keep up... ...with the walking and the talking. But my body was more interested in sending oxygen to my vital organs so that my ears really only got what was left over.
When we crossed into the next state I realized that this was not a short jaunt around the block, but a marathon. (I should have called friends and had them pledge a dime for each mile we covered.)
As I staggered alongside she danced with the puppy, he'd go this way - she'd follow, he'd twist the leash around her - she'd spin, unwinded at a dizzying pace. It was lovely to watch. And all the while the tale of acquiring the puppy continued.
And then we were done; as quickly as we had walked, the walk was over.
Before I dropped myself into my little red car LoraDora said that we'd have to do this again...
...it occurred to me how much I'd missed her, this person I'd spent so many years with at the office. In 10 years time we'd been through much together (I had actually met her on my first day and can still tell you what she was wearing). You might say we're gems of two different shapes whose facets are somehow all the same...
...I can't wait!
But next time I'll probably follow along on my bike.
-silly
3 comments:
Maybe you get a Razor - you can keep up without passing out from lack of oxygen.
Better yet, get Bistro a leash and walk him.
yeah, a scooter, now that's a clever idea... Not sure the cat would enjoy the jaunts around the neighborhood...
ROFL! Gasp! I almost choked to death on my slice of stuffed pizza!! You know, you could always walk with me, you'd feel like you were a triathlon athlete!! LOL!
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