Doo the Right Thing

Consider for just a moment, that you can no longer speak and you can no longer hear. Or at least you can’t understand the spoken word. Not only that, you can’t go anywhere on your own, or drive a car, or even cook yourself a meal. You think life is tough right now with the Coronavirus, just try being your average American dog!

I don’t actually have a dog at the moment, but I do occasionally dog-sit my daughter’s dog. Actually, I have been watching over “Fitzgerald” the French Bull Dog for the past four days and it’s been quite an interesting experience. In fact, he is teaching me a lot of things, like how to be a better person.

Let me explain. The new beach house that we live in is next door to a huge vacant lot that extends all the way from the street straight down to the beach. Unfortunately, when I look out my 2^nd story  kitchen window, I see people constantly walking their dogs, or should I say pooping their dogs directly under my window. That’s not necessarily the view I hoped for when I signed the more expensive lease for our new place, but if I look out a little ways, instead of down, I do have a beautiful ocean view.

So, I’m trying to be accepting because I realize there is always good and bad with every situation. But aren’t people supposed to carry those little doggie bags so they can pick up the doggie doo left behind? Some do, most don’t, and that’s really irritating… until I had to walk a dog myself. My daughter’s dog leash has one of those little plastic bottles filled with doggie doo bags, but the very first time I took “Fitzy” for a walk the cap came off and all the bags flew away. Oh, and of course this happened right when “Fitzy” was in the middle of leaving a doo deposit. So he finishes up and I’m standing there with no doggie doo bags and a stupid look on my face. So I started running after the plastic bags, but they quickly blew down the beach and “Fitzy” wasn’t exactly in the mood to run. So there I am dragging this 30 pound dead weight hopelessly chasing plastic doo baggies that are headed south in a hurry.

So that’s when I had to make a decision. Was I going to be a hypocrite and leave the doggie doo deposit where it landed, like so many other people? Or was I going to be a man of character? I took a moment to sit down on a rock and ponder that question. But after less than a minute, “Fitzy” came over, sat down right in front of me, and stared at me. I know he can’t speak English or even understand my English, but I swear he was telling me something. His face had that look, you know, that look that says, “If you don’t do the right thing, how can you expect me to do the right thing?”

So… Did I “doo” the right thing? I’m gonna let you figure that out. (But I’ll give you a clue. Doo is easier to pick up after it dries out!) 

Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, 

you would stay out and your dog would go in.

~ Mark Twain