Stray

It all started one day on the walk home from the grocery store. My son picked up a stick off the ground that vaguely resembled a dog on a leash and he proceeded to walk "it" home.  He insisted on having me do "the voice".  All the way home, his new friend told him about his life up in the trees and his abrupt relocation to the ground and to a new neighbourhood.  The stray stick explained that he was excited to move to a new neighbourhood that he had only smelled before and heard about through the trees.  My son promised his new charge that he had two kitties at home and that they would all have a lot of fun together.

When we got to the Pride Parade the other day, the stick obediently waited up against a building while we enjoyed the parade, and then we gingerly walked him through the crowds, careful not to poke out any eyes on the way back home.

This morning, he found yet another little guy who also has a very good knack for smelling his destination.  He told my son that he could smell ladybugs and yellow shirts (I have a yellow shirt!), bagels (they have bagels at my preschool!) and angry bird toys (I have one in my pocket!). I was made to promise to collect his stick on my way out the door of preschool and take him to work.  "Don't worry, you can sleep at mama's work".

I have come to learn a lot through these stick dog mediated talks.  I have learned what fun can be had for sticks and boys at home (they are all living it up under the porch) and what my work is like (there is some lego there) and what daycare is like (you can sleep and eat there, but I'm not allowed to sleep.)

Dog sticks are loyal and make walking fun, especially ones who can detect that distinct smell of angry bird toys.