When Will decided it was time to get a chocolate lab puppy 2 1/2 years ago, it was implicitly understood that I would be incapable of being a caretaker in any way of this cute little creature.
Funny how it just starts with little things....if Zeek's master leaves to go fishing at 4 am, sure, I guess I can feed the dog and let him out to do his business in the morning before I go to work. Poor dog didn't get his walk this morning since his master left so early. Maybe I should come home at lunch and take him for a walk.
And now here we are. It's elk hunting time. Dogs can't go elk hunting. They have to be left behind in camp. It would be extremely inconvenient to take Zeek hunting. Being the gracious helpmeet that I am, I said that even though I hate dogs, possibly I could put myself out and take care of Zeek for the duration. Then I recanted and said, let me think about it overnight. The implications of how indebted Zeek's owner would forever be to me made it impossible to decline, especially since I already had a shopping trip planned. The next day I went to Kohl's on my lunch break and came home with new boots, a new sweater, and a new scarf as my down payment. (There was a great sale.)
So today was my first morning as "dog sitter". I flipped the light on in the garage and said a cheery good morning to Zeek. He stayed indifferently in his kennel. I went out the side garage door with some garbage and when I turned around to return to the garage, I saw a large brown rodent scurrying from under the 5th wheel into the garage, where he disappeared under some storage shelves. As my shrieks rent the air, Zeek eagerly leaped up and sniffed around the area, wagging his tail.
Really? Compared to how I feel about rodents, I love dogs. Will is barely gone a few hours, and already our garage is under attack by rodents?
Well, life must go on. Heart pounding, I got Zeek to come out of the garage and tried to get him to go out in the yard to do his business. He had no interest going out into the downpour. He curled up on his rug in our nice covered patio and got comfortable. He refused to eat. He was ready to take a nap. I had left the garage door open hoping the rodent would want to go back out in the fresh air, but then I visualized the rest of his family rushing in there to join him, so I took Zeek back to the garage and told him to take care of it. He laid down and prepared to take a nap.
So all day I have been imagining the rodent family settling in. Perhaps they are preparing a nest to have a bunch of ugly babies. I texted all my boys, telling them there would be a reward if anyone would come kill a possible rat in the garage. Apparently I failed to communicate the urgency. Craig came over in the afternoon to let Zeek out and texted me that Zeek peed and was so happy to be playing with him. I texted him to kill the rat and he said he'd come back and kill him tomorrow. What??
I went out and bought a trap on my lunch break, which I hope that a caring son will come over tomorrow and bait and set up for me. I admit, my husband and boys have always dealt with residential rodents. I am spoiled. I am weak.
I didn't get home from dinner with friends until after 10 pm, and the garage is a very creepy place. Zeek didn't eat and didn't do any business in the yard. I allowed him to come into the living room with me, feeling compassion for him after a long day without his master. I told him to quit licking himself. He obeyed. Then I had to tell him to quit rolling around. He obeyed. He really is a pretty good dog. I would love him forever if tomorrow morning when I get up, he would be waiting in front of the door in the garage with a dead rat which he would then take outside and put in the garbage cart. One must dream.
Here is Zeek in happier times last summer. He really is a good dog. Time to make him go outside for the last time to see if he'll do some business.
No comments:
Post a Comment