From the Big Chair

Someone reminded me of cats today. The phrase “toe beans” is perfect, though it seems initially to be a typo.

Despite living with two stupid cats for 15 years, I am now, and probably always have been, a dog person. Unlike humans, animals are innocent and perfect. I am reminded of that every time I look into a dog’s eyes.

Sometimes they seem sad. Sometimes a little guilty. Always curious. I see in those eyes the essence of, “What are we going to do, boss?”

Some time ago I read an article about the world’s biggest dog. George, I think. There were some photos, and George’s owner wrote a short piece about how big dogs are different. How they present unique problems. How they have to express themselves differently.

Because big dogs can’t comfortably jump in a person’s lap, they have to show affection differently. George’s owner described what she called the lean. She experienced that human-animal bond with George when he would lean against her and just breathe.

I get this from Rylie occasionally. She doesn’t have a problem jumping on the couch and crawling in my lap. She’s not that big. But there are times when I am sitting on her level, on a step or on the floor, or on the edge of the deck, and she will sit next to me and lean.