One of Those Days

In physics class, we learn that gravity works against us every second of our lives. Each step we take is really an act of preventing ourselves from falling. Some days, a girl wonders, "Why bother? Why not lie down and never get up?" Unemployment, middle age, bugs on the tomatoes, muddy pawprints on the carpet, a dirty house, unpaid bills, mosquito bites, and the collective idiocy of American Idol voters all take their toll. I wanted  just one day on which I did not have to worry about anything or talk to anyone.

So I spent the day yesterday lying in bed, alternately napping and staring uncomprehendingly at the New Yorker. Both my girls played it cool. "She's having one of those days" is how Roma explained it to Muzzy. One of those days. Dogs have those days all the time. Lying around except to scratch, eat, and poop is what dogs do best. My dogs are exceptionally good at it. Still, Muzzy felt compelled to take charge while I went mentally AWOL. It was her cold nose that I felt on the bottom of my foot that signaled it was time for a walk or for a meal. She was the one who worried about the thunder rumbling in the distance. And she was the one who looked concerned when the ringing phone went unanswered. I am back today, once again defying gravity while the dogs succumb to its power—Muzzy is stretched out on the floor behind my chair and Roma moves only to find a fresh cool spot on the tile. We'll see you at the Dog Park, as usual. 

--z