FEELING OLD AND TOO TIRED? TIME FOR A PUPPY

Feeling old and being old are two different things.

How many times have you scrolled social media and found young people who sound too old for their years.

Or at least too old for the the image they use for identification.

Not everything is as it seems online. An old person could use a thirty year old picture.

Who does that? I want to know because no one does it the other way around and posts an old picture of their younger self. Tricky move.

Sometimes single men in their late thirties post pictures of their dog to show they are normal people.

“Look, I’m normal. See my dog?” they seem to say.

The sensitive men in early middle-age post cat pics.

“See, I’m sensitive. Here’s my cat for proof.”

But David, you ask, can you explain spinsters with five cats?

Of course. Easy.

Having pets fulfills the nurturing gene in people.

They want to be depended on, and when they are, they want to come through.

Not everyone nurtures pets the same way.

Time For A Puppy?

During more than three decades of married life to one woman, I’ve had at least thirty years of dog life to go along. Three decades is enough to get anyone feeling old, unless they just turned thirty.

And somehow I’m not seen as a dog person?

I have the headlines and pictures to show I am a dog person, but they hold no sway.

Dog people have dogs; non-dog people don’t have dogs.

But it’s never that simple.

My last dog died while I held her in my arms in the veterinarian’s parking lot.

She wasn’t feeling well so we took her in. We almost took her in.

Daisy was the family dog for sixteen years.

Lucky was the family dog before Daisy and logged ten years.

Roxxy and Jake fill the rest of the slate.

With my dog background, but no current dog, I’m not a qualified dog person?

Was I ever?

Empty Nest Makes Feeling Old Easier

If living the empty next life is the goal after raising a family with dogs, then score for me.

The nest is empty for wife and I, but only one of us is celebrating the achievement.

I mean, the term ’empty nest’ doesn’t mean what it should. It’s more like a ‘glass half-full or half-empty’ thing.

Needless to say, I didn’t have an empty feeling, or an empty nest feeling, and still don’t. Then there’s this:

“We need a pet to nurture.”

“Like a gold fish we win at the ring toss at the county fair?”

“No.”

“Like the lizard you had that lived longer than any lizard in the history of reptile pets?”

“No.”

“Like a horse or a cat?”

“I’m allergic to horses and cats.”

“That would add a challenge to nurturing. I like horses and cats.”

“A dog, David. I’m talking about a dog.”

“How long has it been since Daisy.”

“Four years.”

“Let’s give it another four and talk about it then.”

“One of the people in my office has a dog I just love. I want one like that.”

“What kind of dog?”

“We’re on the list to get one from the next litter.”

“An unborn dog?”

“The mom had a phantom pregnancy.”

“It’s a phantom dog, then?”

“We’ll pick up our new dog in a few months.”

And Just Like That, Feeling Old Changed To . . .

“Why is the dog trimming your rose bush?”

“What?”

“The dog is a gardener. We’ve got a gardener dog. She’s pulling all of your plants out of pots, chewing them up, and playing with the containers. It’s so cute.”

“Don’t let her do that.”

“That might be bad nurturing. Maybe you should check on what puppies like.”

“I like my plants.”

“Perfect. You and the dog have so much in common. This will be fun.”

“How is this fun?”

“She likes your pillows, too.”

“Are you trying to be funny?”

“Me? Oh no, not me. I’m all about the nurturing. She really likes your slippers. Look at her chew.”

“My favorite slippers.”

“Part of nurturing is sharing. Hey, would you pick up the dog doodle in the yard before she steps in it? Let’s at least be civilized.”