December 20, 2017

White Dog responded to Steve's invitation to sit on his lap. He was just home from work and wanted her to know that he was on vacation for the next twelve days. For her birthday on Friday, he told her, they would go to the park early (like they did in the long ago days), just the two of them, and would share breakfast and sunrise. Then they would bring donuts home for the entire White Dog Army to start the celebratory day.

She squirmed and wiggled her excitement. Tizenegy and Zsofia rushed over to bomb the moment. Steve ignored them as he focused on White Dog. Zso took the hint but Teez stood on Steve's knees and bossed his demand for attention.

"Tizenegy!" I told him. "Come over here. Dad is spending time with White Dog right now. It is not your turn." He looked at me and continued trying to insert himself. "I mean it! Leave it! NOW!" I used the momma voice. He knew he was coming dangerously close to my picking up the squirt bottle.

He walked away from the couch where Steve and WD sat. He gave me a hard look. "You will get your turn. It is not about you all of the time," I said.

As he moved to pass my little cart next to the momma chair, on the way to his bed to pout, he stopped. He calmly lifted his leg and marked the corner of the cart before kicking his feet and walking past.

The room froze and all eyes watched to see my reaction. When necessary this tottering old woman CAN move quickly. I rose and followed him, which surprised him, as I said in a quiet low growl, "outside, NOW! You have made momma mad! Best you stay out there and do some thinking."

Pearl, Sachi, Bailey, Zso and Nilla hurried after him. I could hear them advising him on how to get himself out of the mess he was getting more and more mired in. Meanwhile WD came over to me.

"It is good that he feels safe enough to misbehave," she started. Steve just had finished steam cleaning the area of the rug affected. "I think he is kind of scared now that he pushed things too far. I know he must apologize and be truly contrite but go easy, he is still learning and not always sure you won't give up on him."

Tezenegy skulked past and hid himself behind Steve's knees. "Oh no," Steve told him. "You must go apologize to momma. What you did was very ill-mannered." Teez looked at me and then at Steve. "Nope. You must take responsibility."

Slowly he approached, head hanging down, and pressed his face into my hand. I raised his head to look into my eyes. He softly licked my hand.

Then life returned to normal.