I’m only neurotic when I can be neurotic and when I see it as a shortcut to a greater good—like attention, like getting to hog up the couch. I mean, if no one were around to take care of me, I’d have to work a lot harder just to stay alive, and there’d be no time for problems. So, neurosis is kind of a luxury, isn't it?
The thing is, I still can’t go for a walk in this neighborhood after all those firecrackers. I just can’t. We drove into Northport the other day and walked in the park. They allow dogs there—not because they like dogs—because the townspeople think the dogs will chase away the geese. See? It’s a choice between geese and dogs. Now, you can force a human to clean up after a dog, but you can’t find anyone who will clean up after a goose.
So, we walked through the park and looked at the harbor. Everything was all pretty and idyllic. No firecrackers, no screaming people, no motorbikes, no worry. Walking was a so much fun and so very replete with the attractive scents of phantom dogs, night cats, and, yes, a few geese droppings.
And since I had had such a good time during that walk, Joan thought I’d be willing to take a walk in our own neighborhood yesterday evening. Ha. I’m not that reckless. So, she gave up trying and went to work on her computer.
Nevertheless, I did have a yearning—you know, I wanted something, but couldn’t decide what it was. So, I barked. Yup. I went in to the computer room and barked at Joan.
“What is it?” she asked. Then Shane came in and got all breathy. “What’s going on?” she asked again. “Would you like to try going for a walk?”
No way! I tried to hide under the computer desk, but there were too many wires. I tried to leave the room, but Shane was in the way. He wanted a walk. So, I barked.
“Okay, do you want to go in the car?”
Well, no, I hadn’t thought of that one, but, okay, I’d go along with that.
So, we rode to the library and then to the post office—that way we wouldn’t be burning gas without some sort of reason. With the windows open, I got all the pleasures of walking except the exercise—the sights, the smells, the wind on my face, the dogs and humans in other cars.
When we got home, I sat at the far end of the driveway and absolutely refused to go for an actual walk, and so we came into the house.
Joan sat on the couch and picked up a book. I barked at her.
“What’s with you?” she asked, completely perplexed. “Are you having a neurosis attack? Do you need some attention?” she wanted to know.
She got up to move the coffee table out of the way so I could sit near her, but I fooled her, because as soon as she went to sit down again, I snagged her spot on the couch. Ah, now I was happy. So, Joan sat with me for an hour or so. She petted me. Shane was too sleepy to notice, and he didn’t even try to get in the way.
Then Joan went to bed and it was lonely in the living room. I got up and went to sleep on my little bed next to Shane’s little bed next to Joan’s big bed. It was comforting.
Best wishes from Juno
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