This Close

Jack Nicholson has a great line in "Terms Of Endearment."  "I was this close to a clean getaway."  Admittedly, I was a slowly whirling dervish yesterday, but I was making progress with the housework.  Kitchen, done.  Vacuuming, done.  Dust first or shower?  Definitely shower, and it was a good thing I prioritized, because I'd just stepped out, dripping wet, when I heard, "Hello!  I'm here!"  Florence was only an hour early.  What's a little dust between friends?

Not having seen each other or had contact in years, we were both a little trepidatious about how this visit would go, but it was as if we'd never lost touch and there were none of those anticipated awkward pauses in our conversation.  And then this dog showed up at the front door.  "Oh, that's GB (short for Good Boy)."   Florence had been caring for a terminal mutual friend who had this dog that Florence inherited when the friend died, and GB likes to ride in the truck.  Uh huh.  Florence swore she had no ulterior motives, but she knew Bessie Anne had died, and didn't I need another dog?

I had been mulling this over and over in my mind.  Did I want another dog?  Did I need another dog?  Would the cats accept another dog?  As old as I am, would it be fair to get another dog?  Etc., etc., etc.  I was this close to deciding no.  GB came in and I will admit I've never seen such a well-behaved animal.  The cats, of course, hid out in the bedroom, but GB never made an attempt to hunt them out.  Turns out he is a certified Service Dog and can go into restaurants, grocery stores, and so on, and Florence swore he made friends wherever he went.  Hmmm.  There are some drawbacks:  I've always had female dogs, GB has a thick, rather long coat (he has his summer cut right now), he's on the far side of seven and has some health issues.  On the plus side, he has such good manners, he's lived with Florence's cats without problems, he could go with me where I'd never take Bess because I'd have to leave her in the truck (which I'd never do), he went outside on his own and never left the immediate yard, he's the right size...hmmm.  Beau stopped by and fell in love with GB, who didn't bark or jump.  I declined the offer, but later called Florence and told her to hold off finding another home for just a bit while I work this out.  Stay tuned.

After they'd gone, Ralph and Celeste came out and they were like blood hounds, sniffing everywhere GB had been, every toy he'd picked up, and me.  "What were you thinking, Mom?!  Who was this stranger who invaded our territory?"

This is going to take more thinking.  It was a very good visit with both Florence and Good Boy.  Arden is coming over today.  I may dust...or not.