Creature Chatter

When I was growing up, my family always had a dog. These were small, low-maintenance creatures (at least it appeared so, since I never saw anyone actually WALK any of them). Husband, on the other hand, lived in a cat house (so to speak). His family always had one or two felines in the fold, as neighborhood strays roaming the area would instinctively recognize pet-friendly humans, and assimilate themselves into the household quicker than you can say "Friskies". So, when Husband and I were crafting our Life Plan, (that sounds so formal--really it was more like a shared Stuff to Do List...just with bigger projects than usual) we put "Get a Cat" right after "Buy a House" and immediately before "Have a Baby". I liked cats' reputations as clean, independent, easy-to-care-for animals, so we adopted a pair of rescued kittens after moving in to our new home. Then we found out I was allergic...and later, so was Riley. And over time, the fur, and the litter tracked through the house, and the unfortunate tendency to munch on indigestible items left lying around (baby-bottle-nipples, anyone? Yum!) and then puke on the carpets (not the tile or the wood floors, where it's easier to clean up, oh no, the rugs, each and every time. Grr!) led me to the unassailable conclusion that while I still consider myself an animal-lover, I am NOT a happy pet-owner.

Why bring this up, after several years of living in a wildlife-free home? Because Derek recently mused, out of the blue, "Do you think I'm responsible enough to take care of a pet?" Slightly startled, I answered, "Um, probably," then quickly followed it up with, "But, forgetaboutit!" before he could formulate any crazy ideas. The subject seemed to be harmlessly averted without any further discussion. However, last weekend, when we were strolling around Valley Forge, it looked like the entire world was out exercising their pooches in the gorgeous Fall weather. Derek peered around wistfully and commented, "Everyone has a dog, can we get..maybe a cute little one?" Hmm, let me see...the answer is still no way. I have quite enough mud to clean up and mouths to feed as it is, so perish the thought! Not to be completely deterred, he countered with, "Well, how about a fish?" Now, we're talking, buddy! I can totally get behind that inspired idea. As long as I don't discover Riley and I are allergic to...Sea Life...we should be a-okay! Hopefully that will satisfy Derek for the next few years, until he moves into his own living quarters, and can share it with any four-legged critter he wishes. For right now, he'll have to get his furry-friend-fix by visiting with friends' canines. When he gets a little older, perhaps he can volunteer at one of the local vets...or earn some spending cash by setting up a dog-walking operation. Happy puppies, money in Derek's pocket, less withdrawing from the Bank of Mom? I'd say that amounts to: Winners all around!