|
 | |||
| Lopez Island | Orcas Island | Visitor's Guide | ||
| Email this page to a friend | ||
| ||||||||||||||||
DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN |
Previous
|
|
DEVOTION
The dog was no longer a young pup. She sat dutifully in front of the double doors at the entrance to the grocery store. As close to the doors as her tied-off leash would allow, she inspected each satisfied customer with her cataract-clouded eyes. When someone exited, her head tilted upward as her tail twitched and her nose sniffed. Her eyes followed the body as the person turned left or right. Then the dog dropped her head as if to say, "No, that's not the one." As I approached the doors, I held out my hand for the dog to sniff. Then I petted her for a bit before entering, but she was preoccupied waiting for her person to come outside and rejoin her. So I went inside to shop. While navigating the sea of shoppers, I mentioned the dog outside the front doors to customers I knew. Each of them nodded and described the dog to prove that they, too, had seen her keeping watch. Eventually I found the items I needed and got into one of the check stand lines. As I moved my way up toward the cashier, I continued to watch the dog as she inspected everyone leaving the store. Then, suddenly, it was obvious that she had found the right person. She pulled herself upright off her haunches, apparently propelled by the wagging of her tail. She circled and rubbed the lower legs of the gentleman who was untying her leash in the same way a cat nuzzles its person. Then, with a bag of groceries in one hand and the dog's leash in the other, the man walked down the sidewalk with the dog prancing at his heels like a proud circus pony. Clearly, mutual respect and devotion make a profound difference in lives. I hope that I can learn to show it with half the enthusiasm of that sweet, old dog in front of the grocery store.
|
|
|
SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008 |
|
