New Cat

Bob and I walked through our urban neighborhood this morning, instead of heading to the park as we usually do. In the postage stamp front yard of one of my neighbors sat a cat, a new cat whom I had not seen before. Once Bob got a whiff, his nose was magnetically pinned to the ground, sniffing every millimeter said cat might have walked. He was so focused on the trail that he completely missed the source who, cat-like, calmly and condescendingly observed my goofy dog.  Eventually, the olfactory parts of his brain gave way to the visual parts and he saw said cat. Who promptly departed.

At that point, I was given some insight into Bob’s neural priorities. He was clearly dismayed that said cat was gone before he had a chance for a proper greeting. He even sat down on the sidewalk for a bit, waiting expectantly for same. And then the olfactory drive kicked back in, and his sniffing took on a new urgency, as if he could smell the new cat into existence. Back home, he gave Penny, and the back yard, snorting comparative sniffs to confirm that, indeed, this was separate from and different to previous experience. And now he’s had his brekkies and is off to sleep…and dream, and ponder.

Life presents us with the unexpected. At the moment, we often miss the point. But it’s OK because our bodies, our subconscious…if you will, the universe…hold the moment for us until we are ready to see it.

Good Lesson. Thanks Bob.

By the way, Bob and I went to a Memorial Day cookout yesterday, and he made friends and melted hearts all around. Is Bob a great dog or what.