November 29, 2013

White Dog looked into her breakfast bowl and then hopped down and walked into the kitchen past the rest of the White Dog Army which was madly inhaling the meal. She cleared her throat and everyone froze. Steve looked down. WD sat in the middle of the room and voiced her complaint.

"Is this NOT the day after Thanksgiving?" she asked. Steve nodded. "The official, government-sanctioned, everybody knows about it Day of Leftovers?"  "Well, I am not sure how official it is..." Steve began but was cut off by the rest of the WDA suddenly turning to stand behind WD. "Look in these bowls," she demanded. "I don't see ANY leftovers!" Her voice was joined by a chorus of "Hey, we're being cheated! Aww Dad, how could you?"

"You never get anything but kibble in the morning," he defended himself. "Well, that and whatever nibbles momma shares from her breakfast." "DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, dad! We want turkey! We want turkey!" and before Steve knew it, there was a protest overwhelming him in the kitchen as the WDA took up the chant.

"We want turkey! We want turkey!" YoYoMa spun in circles. Taiko jumped up on two legs singing loudly. Puff stood her ground and claimed her right to poultry. Even Tiny Bella came out from behind the chair to stand in the middle of the living room and bark her agreement.

Poor Oso beelined out of the kitchen to my side; more out of fear of being trampled than in disagreement with the demands. Steve was surrounded and no one was even listening to his promise of turkey for dinner.

The WDA wanted bird NOW! When WD was a puppy her trainer was constantly on Steve over his inability to sound like he meant it when he told the diva in development "NO!" He still struggles with what I like to call his Nice Guy Syndrome. The White Ones knew it, I knew it...the end of this story would be that turkey would be served.

I thought about stepping in and using the Momma Voice. Believe me, THAT gets heard and followed. But who wants to be the mean step-mom on the day after Thanksgiving when everyone is still basking in love, gratitude and tryptophane? So as the frig door was opened and the covered leftover container pulled out, I just leaned back in the chair and loved my life.