Butts

Written in May, 2002, I came across this old e-mail and it so summed up how much I loved my Wolfie, I thought I re-post it in his memory. During this time I was still running my own business with a contract at the local #3 telecommunications company. Wolfie, my heart dog, died in October 2005 -- and though my spirit is once again strong, my heart has never totally healed. This is just one reason why:

It's been a long week in Kansas City (sorry Garrison, had to borrow your line).

I've been working long, stressful hours -- and showing it. Road rage attacked me twice on my way to work last week. I actually treated a coworker like one of my students, even if she did annoy the crap out of me, this was not appropriate. She's very young, though, and she responded just like my kids at school used to -- hopped right to the task she had been avoiding for three weeks. I quit talking to my best friend at work because I wanted to wring her neck, too -- and silence was better than an explosion. Stress has been bringing me low -- and playing havoc with my common sense.

Last night I walked in the door after a 12-hour day and the doggies were home. Usually they spend my working hours with Hubby, but he had things to do and people to see, so he had left the dogs at home. I opened the front door to find Wolf and Fritz beside themselves with joy.
Well, sure, they are always happy to see one of us return, even if we've been gone only two minutes. Fritzy did his normal "look at me -- pet me - I'm glad to see you - I'm gonna go get the ball and YOU can play with ME" routines.

But my Wolf is a very special boy. He started wagging his tail. And then he wagged his whole butt. It was just like a clock pendulum -- swinging back and forth, side to side, over and over. His eyes smiled and his butt swayed.

I'd come in the door typically evil. Feeling nasty, thinking of all the stuff I had to do the next day, pissed cause I'd had a rotten lunch and no dinner was waiting on the table for me. And there was Wolf. Eyes filled with love, butt working overtime, swaying back and forth, stubby tail moving as fast as a Wolf could work it.

And suddenly I was less tired. I dropped everything -- briefcase, purse, pager, cell phone, key cards, software carrying case, water bottle, door & car keys and plopped down on the floor right at the door. And Wolf -- still swinging his butt as hard as he could, put both paws on my chest, stood on his hind legs, and put his front legs around my neck, to show me how happy he was I had come in the door. He kissed me over and over. And I kissed him back. And we hugged.
Fritzy ran hither and yon, scampering over the house, dropping toys as fast as he could trying to distract us into playing. Wolf and I just hugged . . . and hugged . . . and hugged. And Wolf's little butt just kept up the rapid sway.

No butt ever looked so good . . . or brought such joy. The stress began to ease, the tension fell away, and Wolf settled into my lap, offering up his full attention until I could finally rise, again, renewed, at peace, and ready to face the world.

Keep the faith -- and take the time to appreciate the love – Milly