Serendipity

Do you believe in serendipity?  And I don’t mean the movie, which was fine and all but lady, let me give you a hint here: if John Cusack asks for your phone number, don’t write it on a five dollar bill or in a random book or throw it away.  GIVE HIM YOUR DAMN NUMBER.  It’s John Cusack.  Lloyd Dobler!  One day he could be holding up a ghetto blaster outside your window and it would be the most romantic moment ever.   
Slight digression: did you love Say Anything as much as I did?  I love it nearly – but not quite – as much as I love When Harry Met Sally.  I sigh audibly when I think of that movie.  Oh Lloyd, you adorable slacker, you.  And while I think that John Cusack is some fine drink of water, I actually think that it would be quite irritating to be with someone whose sole ambition is to spend time with me.  I mean, really, I like being adored as much as the next girl, but there are limits to my patience with complete and utter worship.  Not that this is exactly an issue for me, but still.  That movie is fabulous with some truly great lines: “I gave her my heart and she gave me this pen.”  “Joe lies, Joe lies, when he cries.”  Sigh.  Not to mention some great scenes; remember when the guy was singing “The Greatest Love of All” at the graduation ceremony?  They can’t take away MY DIGNITY.
Anyway, back to serendipity.  Friday night we went to the mountains for a night with the kids to celebrate Mark’s birthday and our wedding anniversary, both of which are coming up on Wednesday.  While we were planning this little evening – a  couple of weeks ago –  I called the kennel where I send the dog for boarding, to book him in for a night.  The woman on the phone informed me that she was sorry, but they didn’t take dogs for overnight boarding anymore.  Since this was a Thursday, and only four days earlier I had picked the dog up from that place of business after boarding him there for eleven days, I asked when that policy was in place.  I was informed, rather perkily, that there had been changes in management.
Huh.  Suddenly it all made sense.  When I picked the dog up from boarding there was a strange absence of dogs.  As well, normally after he has been boarded with other dogs, he is completely exhausted like he just got back from the dog version of a Charlie Sheen party, and sleeps almost constantly, but this time he was surprisingly alert and did not seem at all tired.  In fact, for days after he simply sat at my feet and stared at me in a disturbing sort of way.  I realize now he was trying to telepathically communicate with me.  I started wondering what, exactly, had been done or not done with my poor dog, but more than that, I had no idea what to do with the dog for the next time we were going out of town.  In this city, all the big boarding kennels are either a) outside city limits, b) a 45 minute drive away, or c) full of strange and crazy restrictions (Our dogs are allowed to roam free!  If you bring your own food you will be charged excessively!).  The dog boarder that we had used was pretty much perfect; that is, perfect until they stopped boarding dogs while my dog was being boarded.
Later I was picking the kids up from school, and I happened on a friend I hadn’t seen in a while and for some reason it occurred to me to ask her about dog boarding, and it turns out that she has a friend who boards dogs out of her home, not ten minutes away from me.  Score!  So Barkley went there on Friday and I’m happy to report that he is currently passed out like he spent thirty six hours snorting cocaine and having sex with porn stars/hookers and boasting about his Labrador blood.  Serendipity.

Comments

  1. The last paragraph is a thing of beauty! BEAUTY! You’re v. funny.

    We board our dog at the municipal dog pound. It’s very nice (translation: the only kennel I’ve ever entered that didn’t smell of stale urine), though I’m always fearful they’ll misplace her paperwork & adopt her out to strangers.

  2. I don’t think the dog boarding place that no longer boards dogs is going to be in business much longer. I take my dogs to a wonderful place where they get to run around with other dogs and they love it. They always come home exhausted and sleep for a week. Good thing you found another place to board the dog where he gets to play.

  3. We don’t have a dog, but I’ve helped babysit them. Maybe I could board dogs, then I could indulge my love of them without committing fully. Maybe it could be my NEW CAREER!!!!!! Okay, deep breath.

  4. A dog that can telepathically communicate? Winning 😉

  5. Hee! I’m sure Barkley has Adonis DNA.

  6. Aww, sounds like he didn’t get much stimulation the first time. So happy you’ve found another great place! 🙂

  7. This post is hilarious. Lloyd Dobler and dogs. Quite a mix.

    Although I love Say Anything, I’m pretty sure that 36 year old me, wouldn’t want him. You’re right, to be adored at that level is pretty stalker-rific.

Leave a Reply to Bibliomama Cancel reply