If Only . . .

When I was a kid, Bill Bixby starred in a series entitled 'The Courtship of Eddie's Father,' based on the Glenn Ford movie.  The theme song went, "People, let me tell you `bout my best friend . . ."

Well, that's what I'm going to do this morning.  Some of you are going to roll your eyes, and as a matter of fact, you're going to quit reading about now, but I have a reason for this, so be patient with me.

My cat Cricket's my pal, and I know . . everyone says it's supposed to be a dog. But Cricket likes to prance after me wherever I go.  She lets me know at 9 in the evening it's bedtime -- - even if I'm not sleepy.  If my insomnia awakens me, she'll get up with me, then tap me on the back at 5 to let me know it's her feeding time.  (I get up around then.) 

Of course, if I sleep past 5, she lets me know when it's time to get up.  I've been boxed, bitten on the toe, jumped on, walked on (her favorite), and meowed in the face quite pitifully.  In short, I never have to set the alarm.

When I work on my writing, I do it by hand.  She lets me know a lap is a terrible thing to waste, and it makes writing that much harder, but you know what?  It also is that much more enjoyable, as I'm doing it with my best friend.

My mother's dog - - whom Cricket and I consider to be our adversary- - is every bit as loyal.  (I cannot mention her name in this, as Cricket has not given me permission.)  When Mom was taken to the hospital with a heart attack last year, the dog was devastated, and stayed at the side of my mother's bed for hours, even though she wasn't there.  I tried persuading her to go outside (She has a bladder the size of a pea, so I knew she was agonizing.), and she wouldn't. or eat (Her appetite is huge.) and she wouldn't do either.  As a matter of fact, the only moving she would do was to go to the bathroom door.  That lasted well into the next day.

The recent story of the young soldier who perished and his dog at his funeral has been well documented as well.

Now I ask you this . . . . Why aren't we as people as loyal as our pets?  Why don't we give each other the loyalty, the love, the kindness, that our animals give?  As a matter of fact, when someone is being insulted, they're a 'dog.'  A snide remark is 'catty.'  You know, after watching our pets, we need to re-evaluate those terms.  I don't think we humans have the right to be on the same level with dogs and cats at times, as we don't have the love and loyalty as they do.

Mizpah.