Study of Pets Versus Kids

Occasionally an event marches past our vision, path, and interest, leaving us with nothing more than a deeper understanding of our fellow humans. The following was such, and is nothing more than a blandly interesting study of how one person reacts to another as to what is most important to each of the individuals on a personal level.

The two women stood toe to toe glaring at each other. The smaller, older woman held her rather large chocolate colored poodle close. The dog was behind her with its leach wrapping around the tiny woman two or three times. He seemed to know his place and wasn't budging from her protective stance. She was cupping her hand around his head as if to reassure the dog, or was it to let the other woman know how she felt?

This younger girl looking woman was equally unmoved by the confrontation. She was holding the bloody child's hand in hers. "I don't have time to settle this at the moment." "I will deal with you when I get back from the doctor." The woman turned and angrily marched off toward her apartments.

There was no more confrontation though. Instead the only continuation of the dispute was the bill to come in the mail box every few days from the woman's doctor. It was evident the little boy was visiting the doctor at least once a day. This kept up for probably, a couple of weeks. As the bills kept coming the owner of the dog would dutifully write out a check and send it to the doctor.

As is known the bite of a dog usually heals quickly and this was evident, because the child often was seen playing about the apartment compound with no bandages or other evidence of injury.

The dog on the other hand was not given the same range of freedom he had before. His trips to the doggie area were closely monitored by his owner and he was not allowed to romp with the leach dangling behind. Being the faithful animal he was there was no complaint and he seemed to accept his fate with a dog like loyalty.

Finally, one day the dog's owner pulled again a bill from the doctor. "That does it." The little meek woman all at once had enough. "This is going to stop."

She was now sitting across the rather large desk of an attorney telling him the whole story. He counseled with her for a short while and she left his office with a lighter step.

"So what is the verdict?" Her husband asked as she walked into their apartment. He was no longer a young man, but his wife might have been a bride as far as he was concerned. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for her to keep her well and happy. The catering to her love for the animal was something he joked about.

"That dog has brain damage!" He would joke. "That dog is spoiled rotten." He would comment at another time, but it was obvious he only half meant what he said. The couple had never had children and if his wife wanted the companionship of the animal he was ready to move over for her keeping the animal pampered. There were shared chuckles as to how snobby the dog was after a shampoo, hair cut and toe nail trim with polish. The bows on the dogs hair style gave just an extra bit of "stuck-up" behavior. Each trim was different according to which stylist drew the creature in the beauty shop for poodles. If the ways of the pure bred stock manifested its superiority even more so after a visit for grooming the older couple just enjoyed each experience as one of the few things in their life to give them pleasure.

Again the man asked, "So what is the verdict?"

His wife was cool in her attitude. She glanced out and through the glass doors toward the ever pleasant scenery there. The lovely clear blue waters of the pool shimmered and reflected sparkling light. Her dog was sitting with the same aplomb and detachment as he rested on his haunches, gazing out across the scene while he relaxed in air-conditioned comfort. Was there just a bit more of a turned up nose than usual?

Farther on out and across the area the little boy who had been bitten by the dog was busy with his play up and off the equipment put there for the children.

The woman looked out past the pool toward the playground where the child so freely played.

"He said." "You have paid quite enough."