Standing (or Peeing) Your Ground

Posted by Weeks on March 8, 2015 in Food for Thought, Foster Pets | 8 Comments

Our foster pup Marathon loves to walk around our neighborhood and gets at least three walks each day. As today is our last day with him and the sun was out I took him on a long walk in a different direction. As usual he stops periodically to sniff and then sometimes to lift his leg leaving “his calling card.” Occasionally he’ll make a deposit in the snow. He’s a pretty mellow dog and more interested than fearful when we past the many dogs who walk on our routes.

However, when we passed one shrub on a corner his ears went up and so did his leg. Then he circled back and marked another time. Again, he circled back for a third time followed by a poop in the same spot just for good measure, all within six square inches. I thought, I know just how that feels Marathon.

Just last week when I was flying to Texas I got to my assigned seat on the plane and the twentysomething woman sitting in the seat next to mine was on her phone but had filled up my seat with her belongings. “Excuse me. That’s my seat,” I said in a friendly tone gesturing to indicate to please move her things. “No,” she said. “I want my friend to sit here. Why don’t you find another seat,” she said waving her hand vaguely toward the front of the plane.” I didn’t miss a beat. “Because on this flight seats are assigned and that’s the one that’s assigned to me,” I responded matter-of-factly as I put my carry-on above the seat and claimed it. The thing was that if she had asked me nicely, or asked at all,  to move I would have been happy to accommodate her.  I just don’t take kindly to bullying by someone young enough to be my daughter or really anyone for that matter. If I didn’t give into the bullies in junior high, I’m not going to take a bunch of attitude from some ill-mannered brat. Had I been able to pee three times and poop on that seat I would have because there’s a difference between being a nice person and a doormat.