End of April Mystery Picture

Something More Than That

Sewn in and I am not finding the seams here in the fog. As if my head didn’t keep itself company enough, now visual options are outside this big ball of gray fuzz. There must be a word that means more than lonely, something more chronic and not solved by company.

Winkle is an expression, an emphasis in motion. A seizure was a response to angry, deep yelling and more departures, this after finding long refuge under the couch. Extreme reactions are called for when I am not paying attention well. His brain freezing yap is for what he needs for his little dog self. But for this, the communication must call to a halt everything familiar and be bigger than any explanation point.

Winkle is freeing up, bouncing along on little red poodle legs, sniffing salty tree stumps or planks brought in by stormy days.. Over the left wither I get a rhythmic glance in step with his trot. Winkle’s watery brown eyes beam in on my right hand pocket, the customary request for “ball-in-pocket” assurance.

Amidst audible sniffs and three exploratory paws at the sandy seaweed, Winkle stands upright, neck braced, his nose flaring at the flaps. The ears rise to form a triangular, squared shape of anticipation and glee until he meets with some surety his target of distraction. It is a tall man dressed all in navy blue or black, his hands stiffened into his pockets at the top of the sand, taking several steps like some robot. Winkle assesses the rock mass between him and the man, continuing to sniff, interrupting to look up with a contained excitement and anticipatory optimism.

The man moves closer, realizing I will not lead Winkle out of safety by going into the pit of heaping rocks or towards this man. Winkle’s tail beats the air, his dog heart clear and in the moment. There is no agenda or wish other than to be recognized, and/or patted. The man and I walk side by side for a time while Winkle serpentines, sniffing, glancing, and pretending there is nothing different in this moment of now.

Winkle studies me while he moves forward. Maybe he wants to know what I want, or to be sure of things. Eventually the man turns, walking back towards his standing place. Winkle braces with interest, looking at him, then surveying me, like slow-motion tennis, all the while continuing ground level investigations.

Watching Winkle wish over his curly shoulder while trotting forward is so uncomplicated. Burdens have landed on such a willing, delicate back that, over time, it could become customary, chronic, or something more than that.

Update on 07.26.2009 by Lucy Wightman

Winkle is a very smart little man

Red Ball

I need the Red Ball or else I won’t eat.  The Blond One better be there too, sitting, with no threat of getting up to “do something else.”  This means having the white thin block in her lap, or a New Yorker with those turning pages, or ideally she is actually ON THE FLOOR with me.

I like each crumb, one at a time.  Before getting to the point of crunching while looking over my withers, one side back and forth each crumb, the Red Ball is rolled only onto soft patches for me to retrieve.  I never know how many times.  Whatever I want. 

I like to get the Red Ball and avoid her hand before charming her for another roll.  I am good at batting it in designs around my Tipsy Bowl, getting closer and closer, with shorter bats between my two front ones.  No Red Ball = No Eat. 

It squeaks, the Red Ball.  It’s as close to talking, as I will ever get.  I use the Red Ball to attain a variety of Poodle necessities such as walks, rides upstairs to bed, wrestling and play time, food etc.  You Taller Ones make life so complicated by not just asking or stating what you want.

When she comes in the door, or down the stairs, or out from another room it is all the same, as though she had been away, never to return, like the Tall One that left.  I get excited and extra extra happy.  It makes me want to eat!!  Even though I am not hungry per se, I want her to know that I need her each and every time she has been out of eyesight.

This brings me to another point… You Taller Ones, or Lower Legs, I never hear or see or smell the need in you.  I want the Blond One to need me so bad!  Most times she does get on the floor.  Ahh I could let her look at my eyes endlessly.

My 16th

by Perry Winkle Wightman

Cool I thought, finally a walk.  There we are then.  I am like, Hey, Jesus behind that bush, quit following me, WE have a walk to do!

So we get to the walk.  It was so great she didn’t even have to throw the ball!!

And I got busy not once but twice. Ahhh I couldn’t wait for whatever was next.

The Blond One decided to rest on The Tall One’s  grass.  I think she is way tired. 

Anyway it felt good watching her rest because I could tell it felt so restful.

I take my usual place in between them on the bed, kind of towards the feet.  I kind of wished 

The Tall One, Torri, would play again.  But it’s OK.  She maybe still plays and I am too

doggish and not smart enough to see it with my eyes.  You can see my ball here.

 I see some action today… a few squirrels, some squirrly birds, then

this lone goose honks by in a circle twice.  Eh I think.  What is she doing

because I sense an upcoming movement in her.  Yep.  She gets up

to sit against the tree.  Naturally I accompany her.  We are sitting pleased

as can be, she is touching me on that mother neck skin (oh my God I LOVE

that).  I have no sense like before so she tenses and I am ready to protect

and serve here on our hill.  Stand back!  The lens cover comes off the silver

case and I understand now.

She didn’t notice at the time though how, at the end of the 3 seconds,

the rainbow TURNED INTO A BALL!!

If I was some kind of whiz at the machine I would spice it up so you

could see the ball better.  Next we meander back to the blue car. 

She keeps talking about the clouds, how she has never seen a

blue one before.  I heard her thinking some other day not today

how this one-time-friend-so-she-thought called her psychotic and

she said of course she was because of all the hearts everywhere.

I did not understand. 

I just want some grass so I find some on top of that drawing The Tall

One did before she went back home forever.  See here I am.  Can you see

me?  I am the reddish dot above the ivy.  Don’t let me fall.

So I am eating delectable tendrils and she is taking pictures of hearts

and blue clouds and letter clouds in between

hide and seek with me.

See if you can find me here OK?  I am pretty much the red patch in the middle.

The reason I would rather just suck down some grass juice is because I know, not with my

doggish eyes, but I just know with My Knowing what is around ALL THE TIME.  Can you see

it?  Just try OK?  It’ll be fun.

Psyched!!!

I Used to Sleep with Torri

And then she went away for no good reason so when there is company I can pretend that we are a pack again.  This human reminds me of My One and Only and once she gets that it is my bed we are all fine and asleep.

 

eBay

My eBay  

After poving mews my next challenge is to see how long I can live on X amount of money.  As heartwrenching as it is, I have taken the Steiffs out of their bags and interviewed each animal individually.  All were well-mannered and cooperative throughout with no evidence of distorted thinking.  Each bear, bunny, giraffe, camel, goose, parrot and kitten gleefully stepped into the photo booth, knowing they had lost their Master to an incomprehensible disappearance. Then there was this…

 

Tobles

Loyal Dog Returns to Owner's Funeral

I did not know Sam but let me tell you how fast I would follow if She went missing.

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Happy Easter

The Blond One left me with The Tall One and I tried to tell her, “Nooooo!  The Tall One always dresses me up!!  Don’t leave me!”

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I Don't Know Why I Followed It

I knew she would stay behind me though

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Winkle