A Real Trooper

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Melky is a pain in everyone’s ass.

If you happen to get up from your seat, she takes it.

She’ll sit in her going out spot and when I get up to take her, she won’t go.

“Go!” Everyone yells...

...and she will do it when she’s good and ready.

“She’s a real asshole,” Kathy is fond of saying. Kathy and the dog are currently challenging one another for the couch time title.

But, man, that dog is determined.

On Monday morning I was out of bed by 5:00. Melky was sleeping soundly.

I headed out thinking I could leave her in bed rather than going through the morning ritual. I needed to be at the airport by 6:00.

I was sipping my coffee, and watching the news when I heard her jump off the bed.

“Are you kidding me?”

I heard her coming down the dozen steps. One at a time, grunting all the way.

She stood there looking at me.

“Why didn’t you stay in bed?” I asked, expecting an answer.

I let her out.

She sniffed a lot of the back yard...

...took a long pee...

...came back in.

“Go back to bed,” I said.

She stood at the door, looking at me.

I wasn’t getting off that easy.

I had to lift her into the car, tried to get the car warmed up.

Melky was sitting up proud in the passenger seat.

We made a trip around the neighborhood.

I pulled into the driveway and went around to open her door. She lets me lift her in, but she is too proud to let me lift her out.

She jumped to the sidewalk.

Closing in on 14 years old.

We hobbled to the door.

“Okay, buddy, here’s a bone.”

I lifted two bones from the box by the door.

Twenty minutes I was at the airport and I’m sure she was back in bed.

What a trooper.

Made me laugh.

Melk-a-roo!

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