2.06.2007

Cute Puppy

A couple of dog stories i tell people (i.e. stories i would tell over a beer, if i drank beer...and with all the tangents left out):

#1: Alison used to dislike dogs. So like early in our relationship i brought home a little teddy bear of a puppy and Alison was unimpressed--she may even have been scornful. Like most things with Alison however, it took about two weeks and she was madly in love. That dog's name was Ursa. She was a chow, and let me tell you: Chows are weird dogs, man. I have lots of Ursa stories, but i'll spare you right now.

#2: Back when we first got Baxter, our friends Wendy B and Dave H turned us on to a dog book--THE dog book--it was called How to be Your Dog's Best Friend, by The Monks of New Skete. (they're actual monks). If you ever get yourself a dog, you gotta read this book. Anyway, Dave and Wendy are a generous sort and after holding onto that book for like 6 months i said to Dave: "Man, i've had the monk book for like 6 months." And Dave said "That's okay. Don't give it back. The next friends you have that get a dog, just give it to them." Well, we did--and passed along the same instructions to that person. I wonder where it is now? Anyway, we still went out and bought our own copy. It has tiny teeth marks on one corner.

#3: My new dog story. Yesterday, Benya accompanied me on some errands. She's still too small to walk on a leash, so i carried her in my arms until i could put her down somewhere (it was nap time anyway, so this was easy). Predictably, people would just melt...

oh my god! loooook at the puh-PEE!!! She is SO cute! What's her name?

--Benya.

What?

--Benya.

What?

--Ben-ya.

What-ya?

--BEN-ya.

What?

--You know, like "been here?"

WHAT?

---It's Beeeen-Yaaaaa.

Ninja!

--No. Benya.

Benya!

--Yeah. Like the gullah.

The What?

9 comments:

Maig said...

awwwww. I am melting.

I like her name, too! So suitable.
Have you read that book about the Gullah people I gave you- was it good?

The Mom said...

You gave the book to us, and I think Aaron now has it...unless he brought it back here.

What's so hard about Benya? I loved your story of what it means, but even without knowing it has a special meaning, it sounds like a perfectly good name to me. Guess I've been around you guys too long, huh?

Anonymous said...

THE book is at the parents house upstairs on the tall dresser next to the bed...
walter, have you read How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend? Also by the monks of new skete.

Biffle said...

maig: i have only skimmed the gullah book. It looks good, though.

the mom: see the comment for mawee

mawee: THE book is now here in Chas. Alison and i had already decided we were gettin' a puppy when we were up for christmas, so we scarfed it.

(and, pssst, i said "how to be your dog's best friend" in the post...)

Anonymous said...

doh! I was thinking about The Art of Raising a Puppy.

Biffle said...

oh man, you ruined the internet.

Anonymous said...

nooooooooooo!

Aaron said...

So, does she have a blue eye, or is it the flash?

Have you started calling her "skunk-brow" yet?

Biffle said...

onimus:

That's kinda what her eye looks like--dark brown with that rheumy blue underneath.

her daddy was a husky rockwaller mix, although you couldn't see any husky in him, but maybe that gene has popped out in her with that blu-ish eye?