PUPPY PLAY DATE

Yes, I’m one of those people—the people who, in my case inadvertently, make their canine their kid. Clothes, camp with other canines, a select spot on our king-size cradle, free rein of our kingdom, and “baby” as one of her many monikers, Sophie enjoys a spoiled existence. (In fairness to me, it could be worse. In Pier 1, I peered into a hot pink stroller embroidered with “Francesca” to see not a baby, but a big, black pug. I have not—and do not plan to—reached stroller status in the pathetic pet people world.) In further fairness to myself, my college companion, Katie, is well on her way to similar standing in this weird world. Having grown up with a Maltese, bless her recently departed soul, Katie and her husband, John, brought home their own baby Maltese, Paisley, a few months ago.

While in Utah this weekend, I brought my baby to visit Katie’s little one for a puppy play date. Paisley in a hoodie and Soph in a hand-me-down dress Paisley grew out of, the two grappled for treats and showed off their tricks.


Paisley's a bit of a dancer, amateur thus far, but stay tuned.


OUR STORY:

Katie and I encountered each other on our way to BYU-Hawaii. Queued to board the aircraft in SLC, I saw a cute little red head and a woman that looked like her mother in line in front of my mother and me. In what I now see as a moment of desperation or insanity, I wondered if this girl’s mother was doing the same thing my mother was—dropping her kid off at college. Silly thought, silly girl. Not so silly, it turned out.

On our way to Oahu, we had a layover in San Francisco. The red head and the lady with her got off at that stop as well. My deranged brain then moved to the thought that these people were stalking us. Those weirdos followed us to our next gate where we’d catch the plane to Hawaii. While waiting at our gate, my mom poked me and suggested that the red head and the lady with her were going to BYUH as well and that I should go introduce myself. As if.

I turned my back to the strangers as my mom asserted herself and went to say hi. After moments of chatter, my mother figure beckoned me over. Aw shucks-embarrassed, I shuffled their direction, donning my best I-really-don’t-need-friends-I’m-just-being-kind-by-talking-to-you face. I had no intention of making a friend of this red-haired cutie and her miniature mother, I was just appearing congenial in public. Overcome by her sunny personality, I found Katie delightful and she became my first college buddy.


Though I stayed in Hawaii for the duration of my degree and she finished up her undergrad and obtained a Masters at the larger (and lamer) BYU in Provo, her commitment to our friendship made her one of the very few (try three, the spouse being one) people from my college experience that I still keep in touch with.