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My Friend
He’s not much of a conversationalist, actually he rarely speaks at all. But he is absolutely one of the most intense listeners I have ever encountered. He will lock his eyes onto yours and cock his head to pick up every word you speak. He hears every word you speak and eagerly awaits the next sound that comes from your mouth. I have found him to be virtually your shadow as he follows you intently. The look in his eye says,
“I hear everything you say because everything you say is so important to me.”
Most of my friends are so busy or distracted that deep heartfelt conversations are rare. Not that what I have to say is so important, in fact, it is uncommon for my thoughts to be of any significant value. ‘The listener’ is completely responsive with me and literally hangs on my every word. He makes me feel as if my thoughts are important, and as though they have relevance. He soaks up my words and shows total appreciation for what I am telling him. I’ve only known him for three months, but he has become a fast friend.
I feed him, I clothe him, I make his bed, I clean up his messes, his total care is dependent on me. He knows that and I think that is why he is such an ardent listener. He wants to please me and he dotes on anything I tell him. He has become my sounding board, my entertainer, my confidant and my most trusted companion. I can’t imagine him not being around to shadow my every move. I call him my buddy and he certainly is.
As a matter of fact his name is Buddy; when I adopted him they said his name was Zander but that name didn’t fit him at all, so I changed it. Buddy has natural instincts to chase rodents and to scare birds. The former is just what I hoped for but the latter becomes a problem because I photograph birds in my backyard. He is medium sized, weighing in at 30 pounds, but he has the heart of a giant gorilla when he is on point for a squirrel or chipmunk. He sees them through the glass door on the deck and makes a ruckus until I let him through the doggy door in the garage. Once in the yard he silently makes a beeline straight for the squirrels as he scares them up a tree. Did I mention that we have numerous squirrels who feed off the seeds that the birds knock to the ground. He is vigilant in his pursuit every time he blasts through the doggie door. He hasn’t caught one yet, but he has caused the chipmunks to be scarce in the yard.
Ten times a day we repeat this scenario and he always comes back in hungry. He eats only the flavor that he wants for the day. I put three different flavors in his bowl and one day he eats beef, the next chicken and sometimes lamb. If there is too much of the wrong flavor de jure, he picks the offending nuggets out of the bowl and scatters them on the floor. But he always curls up in one of the many beds he has and naps for long periods. Notwithstanding the fact that he follows me from room to room and curls up in one of his beds near wherever I am.
Dedication and anticipation of affection cause him to be ever at my side. I am not worthy of this high praise, but he is consumed in searching for opportunities to jump into my lap and snuggle up to my chest. He is almost irresistible were it not for his 30 pounds which causes my legs to grow weary. For his part, he will take any amount of lap time that I allow.
I have had many friends like him over the years, but he is truly the most devoted and charismatic that I have ever known. His big brown eyes search your face for a moment of recognition and the slightest chance for recognition. When you stoke his head and ears, pet his back and scratch his belly, he insists that you keep going, no matter how long you have been doing it. He leans his head against your chest and puts his paw on your arm to let you know that he is not through with your affection yet.
Every morning he leaves his sleeping crate and dashes out the door to take care of his business. On cold mornings I light the gas logs while he is outside and when he returns inside, he plops on his bed in front of the fire and takes “secondzies” .(A serious nap to recover from the cold). He is not perfect but neither am I so we have become fast friends. I can honestly say I have never had a more loyal and trusting friend than Buddy, who truly is my buddy.
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| Buddy |
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| Chewing up a Christmas toy (trying to remove the squeaker) |
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| "Secondzies" |
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| Standing guard on watch for squirrels |
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| Finding the sunshine on a cold day |
