[dream] La Wally, June 24, 2007

While the bosses are away on a two-and-a-half week vacation, I am dogsitting for their two standard poodles at their house. Even though the heated pool and the hot tub are of no use for me, life is still very good—I can watch Food Network whenever I want. The dogs, Zoey and Wally, are picking up on my low-key energy level and the three of us are enjoying a relaxing and lazy weekend together.

I was taking a break from Food Network to watch "Roman Holiday” earlier this afternoon when I noticed Wally’s feet twitch. He had fallen asleep next to me on the sofa. He started breathing faster, and the tips of his nose moved as if he was sniffing. Then his lips curled up, occasionally showing fangs. Wally, the dog, was dreaming.

There is no way possible for me to know what he was dreaming. But from what I saw, my guess is that perhaps he was fending off an enemy—say, a cat or a squirrel ten times his size—that broke into the house, by cornering the creature and gnarling at it. Whether he dreamt as far as being rewarded with a giant pig ear for his heroism will remain unknown. Whatever his dream was, I am sure it was a fun and happy one. And watching him dream such a dream, I felt a brief warmth inside that I have not felt in a long while.