Today, WD made an effort to humanize, doggerize?, herself a little as we all hung out after coffeetime.
"Ask momma," she said looking around the room. "I have had my moments when she was SO mad, deservedly, at things I have done. Stupid things. I am hardly perfect." The WDA sniggered at the thought of a Renegade White Dog but I nodded. "A couple times were pretty serious," I agreed. To her, "Tell them about being Cerulean."
"Momma, used to set up her easels and paints in the bedroom when she was working. I was a tiny pup, just a couple of months old. She was taking some class or another at the Community College and left to attend. When dad and I went to pick her up she wanted to know why I was covered in blue paint from muzzle to belly. She was scared and mad at me! Dad told her I had somehow managed to knock down her tube of cerulean acrylics and had chewed it open. He discovered me, immediately washed my mouth out and scrubbed my furs. still remember it hurt. The carpet he was not able to save. He called the emergency vet who said acrylic paints were not good for puppies but that dad had done the right thing; I would be fine. My furs were stained until they grew out far enough to go to the groomers. Every time momma saw me I knew she thought about the paint incident and struggled not to get mad all over again. Dad threw the rug away. That is why there are only scatter rugs in the bedroom; momma says cleaning up the wood floors is MUCH easier for people with curious dogs."
The Army sat wide-eyed trying to image the event. Bailey could come close since she once stole a container of pills but the others had a hard time getting past giggling at the idea of a BLUE White Dog."
"And what about your Walk on The Wild Side," I reminded her. "Tell them about that ultimate bad girl move." White Dog looked at me; it would be a test of her openness because this was probably the worst thing she ever attempted in her soon-to-be 13 years. Now we chalk it up to youthful invincibility but then it was a stupid dangerous thing to have done. Never since has WD crossed THAT line.
WD cleared her throat and the Army fell silent. "This will help you, Zso, understand why momma was such a fanatic about you being trained early and hard NOT to be a runner. The trauma I caused her was so wrong. It was a beautiful spring day and dad leashed me up. I had an appointment and we were going to walk to the groomer. I love walking in our neighborhood and I knew full well the rules for walking on the busier streets, all streets really. They are the same ones you all have.
"As we walked, the smells were so good and we were having such a grand time that I talked myself into not wanting to spend the day inside having a spa day so when we got to the door I bucked and twisted and managed to slip out of my collar. The groomer is on Route 66, a VERY busy street, and I headed back toward our house."
"I did not listen to dad's calls and walked fast enough that he could not catch me. I kept looking back to make sure he could see me but I was not listening. I heard him yell and turned forward to watch the cars on the cross street before crossing. Dad almost caught up as I sat to be safe but I took a stupid chance and darted across just as he nearly grabbed me.
"For a minute I got confused and just stood in the edge of the street. A car horn caused me to scamper to the sidewalk just in time. I finished walking the block to our street and had to cross over to our side of the block. Dad caught me there. He was breathing so hard and was so mad. He picked me up and carried me into the house.
"I thought momma was going to take MY side when she took me in her arms and cried that I was safe. But it was fear and thankfulness that my foolishness had not caused harm. The look on her face as she lived those thoughts convinced me that I NEVER wanted to make her hurt like that again. And dad was still shaking. I am not proud of this."
WDA mouths were agape. EVERY pup knew not to cross the street. "Wow! White Dog," Zso finally mustered the breath to say. "That WAS pretty bad." Nilla shook her head, "I know it was not easy to share that story but through your lesson we all are reminded that there are reasons for the rules." White Dog looked over at me; the story STILL rattles my soul.
"I am not sure if I ever would have recovered if something terrible had happened," I said, "there may never have been a White Dog Army. Now that we know you are not perfect let us change the mood back to celebration and share the story of how you were the great locust hunter as a pup in Abiquiu.
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