Dim

This, gentle reader, is my old friend BB. A show dog reject, because his adult teeth do not align perfectly.** We welcomed him into our lives almost ten years ago, when he was nine months old.
(** Full Disclosure: My adult teeth do not align perfectly, either.)

Although he is the most handsome Labrador I’ve ever had, he certainly is not the most intelligent by a long shot. Not a whole lot goes on inside that massive blocky head, except for constant thoughts of food. If you throw a frisbee or a ball, he will happily bound off to retrieve it, but then he can’t grasp the concept of returning it to the thrower. Every single time we come home from running errands, he will bark his fool head off until we are just a few feet away, and then he becomes sheepish, and apologetic as if to say “Oh! It’s you!” A few weeks ago, he suddenly started awake from a deep slumber, and stared fixedly in front of him. One of my sons was visiting at the time, and said “Look Mom! I think BB just had a thought!” The best way to describe his mental acuity is ... well ... Dim.

Ah, well. He has a heart of gold, not a mean bone in his body, and is always happy. We love him even though he isn’t going to win any prizes for smarts!

Speaking of dogs, when Evan got married last week, he asked his brother Tom to read the following poem at the ceremony. I loved it so much, I wanted to share it here.

Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog
by Taylor Mali


First of all, it’s a big responsibility,

especially in a city like New York.

So think long and hard before deciding on love.

On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:

when you’re walking down the street late at night

and you have a leash on love

ain’t no one going to mess with you.

Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.

But come home and love is always happy to see you.

It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,

but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time?

No! No! Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.

It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.

It pulls you in several different directions at once,

or winds around and around you

until you’re all wound up and can’t move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.

People who have nothing in common but love

stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,

again, and again, and again.

But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.

And in return, love loves you and never stops.