I had a great thought, let it be called "the idea". To write and describe "a dog as it sleeps."
Coincidentally, we have owned dogs before but we have not had a dog for years. So,....
all of a sudden we find our selves being offered a 4 year old overweight wire fox terrier.
I wanted to do a similar exercise as did J Steinbeck in "Grapes of Wrath" the chapter where
the turtle is crossing the road. Our dog Tikka sleeping, her breathing, the texture of her woolly fur in the sunlight, eye movements, sounds and position changes.
However, that is where the fun begins. Once the dog, Tikka does settle down. I could begin to write. IF she would just settle. Maybe some word of history about the breed is required.
They are meant to keep the rodent and rat population; unsettled. They were bred for rat chasing and rodent removal. At the time this was drafted we owned two Chinchilla's and a rat. YES, they are her enemy.
So the difficulty begins every movement or noise, whether it is a rodent or not, require some investigation. So up she snaps, whether she is curled in a ball, lying fully on her side or her muzzle extended on the forepaws. Anything can dissuade her to stop lying still.
Noises outside, the dishwasher, people moving from room to room, inside the house; can all demand her attention. A chinchilla bounding swiftly from shelf to shelf, inside their gated cage.
Whether to eat, to drink or just get a better vantage point to stare at us from in such away as to make you wonder, which of us is in the cage.
The title really is one line. An idiomatic expression. It defines, maintaining the status quo.
The tragedy occurs when the status quo in our lives dissuades us varying routines and being made out as a disruption. From being creative, coloring the mundane, accepting defeat. Rather than shaping our lives to reflect our gifts through joy and passion. Let the monotonous, make everyday a black and white televised test pattern. Nothing out of the norm or unexpected; bills to pay, food to eat, chores to chafe us, handcuff us to routine lives and a colorless one at that!
Well it is over. let sleeping dogs lie where they may, I like, Tikka's approach, she only rests and is ready to bolt at the slightest provocation after the next pursuit. I guess this wasn't a Steinbeck moment. No descriptive proof of the capacity to describe what a dog does, the rhythm at rest, the changes in the breathing, the wagging of a tail while fitfully at rest, the noises or movements as she dreams.
I am A WRITER, I cried.
Thanks Neil D.
Thanks Simon and Garfunkel.
for saying through song about a fighter, a boxer, who was lost but not defeated, he may not have tasted victory, his own sweat mixed with his blood and tears, yet he has not lost because he keeps on training, sparring and fighting. Oh he has a schedule and routine, he has discipline. He chooses to be creative within his routine, his gift.
I will keep on writing, writing and writing, .
Since this was originally drafted, much has changed, the chinchilla's and rat have passed on.
We have moved to home which we purchased instead of renting. Tikka is no longer overweight, she recently has had major surgery for the removal of bladder stones, big stones for a 20 lb dog. The vet said so, I held them, all 6 of them - 3 small, 2 medium and 1 large. We are very blessed to still have her. She is almost fully recovered. We are so thankful.
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