The Sniff Heard Around the World

Sometimes I just need to write about something silly. It helps me to practice writing the perimeter around my protagonist. And it feels good, like a creative purge. When I'm writing, I'm happy and releasing those happy juices...the endorphin and dopamine rush.

Today is that day. And it started on my porch at zero dark thirty this morning. It was early, cold, and the sky was still lit by a sliver of the moon and a few stars. I was plushly wrapped in my homely and long red robe. I had on non-matching bootie socks and slides, to boot! Obviously, being spotted by a neighbor could be catastrophic for my self-esteem.

That's why I tried to be stealthy and stayed put on the unlit porch while I let the dog venture out back and forth with her retractable leash. She stepped out and looked around, walked here and there sniffing, stepped out again and stood still sniffing in the air for any scent of the human or animal kind.

As I languished in the cold waiting for her to wrap it up, my nose grew runny so my natural reaction was to give a little sniff. When I did, Shelby's head snapped to face me with startled eyes that gleamed green in the moonlight. Nothing else existed for her, but me and that sniff.

For her, it was the sniff heard around the world! See, there are two things that will break into my dog's tunnel vision and turn her attention to me. A single sniff that could be the beginning of a cry, or a food wrapper opening. Yeah, she's that dog.

She is such a loving dog, burrows under the cover, scooches in as close as she can against your skin, leans on you and stares adoringly into your eyes. Until. You. Sniff. Then she runs. I mean, literally leaps off the couch and cowers somewhere else.

No, we've never abused her or each other, lol. She just cannot STAND crying. I will love that dog to my dying days, but I will never be able to praise her for her compassion. She gave me my first laugh of the day as I retrieved her and coached her back into the house, left for work, and let her recover :-)