Thump.
Thump.
The background noise is barely discernible over the hum of
dinner conversation and pleas to the kids to “Eat, for the love of God!” It’s a small sound, but always there.
She sits quietly waiting for her moment, fully believing
that someone will take pity on her. She
is a good girl, after all, and isn’t she sitting so nicely? She radiates the message “Look at me! I’m good.
I’m cute. Someone feed me!” When someone shoots her a look the sound
ramps up expectantly, like a little drum.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Thump.
False alarm. No
treat.
Day after day, meal after meal, she sits quietly and
waits. She waits through breakfast,
lunch, dinner, and she waits through snacks.
Olive never misses a meal. Though
she only gets a treat at dinner, she isn’t deterred; her commitment is
unfailing. Nobody eats a meal without an
audience if she can help it. Not ever.
Olive is no fool.
She waits quietly because there might be crumbs to be had; crumbs,
and the sneaky, sticky hands of children slipping goodies under the table. It’s the unexpected windfalls that keep her
dedication strong, and keep her tail tapping happily against the baseboards.
Thump.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
That's great -- made me miss my own dog! It's funny how much that quiet thump-thump conveys.
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