Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Skill-Building
“It’s good to have a hobby.”
“It is. What’s yours?”
“Throwing sticks in the water for my dog to fetch.”
“That’s not much of a hobby.”
“Who are you to judge? I’m quite good at it.”
“Better than the dog? I’d say she has the tougher job.”
“Oh really. Do you see her throwing the stick? Scouring the beach to find a proper stick? Making sure not to throw the stick too far lest the dog exhaust herself and drown paddling after it? Wrestling the stick out of the dog’s jaws so it can be thrown again? Putting aside her own needs hour after hour for a dog, a lowly, witless dog that has no appreciation for the thousands of times the stick has been thrown for her exclusive enjoyment? Encouraging visitors to take pictures of the dog and eschewing the limelight herself? Being the unheralded. anonymous person behind the dog?
“Don’t get all hot about it.”
“I’m not. You just need to know there’s a lot more here than meets the eye.”
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Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
I’d throw a dog for that stick…oops. I’d throw a stick for that very cute dog. I was going to delete my mistake there but then it made me laugh so I decided to leave it. Seriously, I’m not a dog-despiser. What happiness in her face. When throwing for our dog, I learned not to say ‘last one’ because he then walks away. If it’s the last one, why go to the effort? Can’t tell you how many times I watched purchased dog toys float down river before I caught on.
What no caption for Minnie? She should get Olympic Gold for “Dog Paddling”
“…there’s a lot more here than meets the eye…” is true of many of my talents as well: speaking pig latin, making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, weeding, smiling when an acquaintance tells the same story for the umpteenth time; which is why I enjoyed this post so much.
What’s more you have to walk to the beach, persuade the dog the game’s finished, stand clear of spray when dog leaves water, get reluctant dog home again… Anyway, what’s their hobby?