A different conversation…

“You never seem to talk to dogs.”

“Excuse me?”

“I see you talking to the cats all the time, but you don’t talk todogs.”

“I…”

“Don’t you like dogs?”

“Of course I like dogs.  I love dogs.”

“Then why do you spend all of your time with cats?  Cats live with you and go to your house all the time.”

“I’m a cat person.  There are dog people and there are cat people.”

“Are there rabbit people?” asked the dog.

“Yes, there are. There are people for everyone.”

“Why are you a cat person?”

“Uh, I don’t know how to explain it.  I guess my personality fits more closely to cats, than it does dogs.”

“Because we’re needy?”

“Dogs seem to be more…cooperative.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then why don’t you talk to dogs?”

“Truthfully, dogs make me feel bad.”

“How is that possible,” asked the dog, obviously shocked.  “We are loving and kind.”

“Yes, well, so are cats.  But I feel that I disappoint dogs.  That I can’t live up to their expectations.  You guys are always happy, waiting for love and I don’t think I can give you everything you want, at least not all of the time.”

“That’s really sad.”

“Is it?”

“My heart is broken,” said the dog, miserably.

“See, that’s exactly what I mean.  We just met and I’ve already let you down.”

“No, I think dogs must have let you down.”

“Argggg!  Now you’re blaming your species for my problems.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“And you would forgive me anything.”

“Is that also a bad thing?”

“It just makes me tired.”

“I’m sorry,” said the dog.

“Don’t apologize.  Please.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.”

She sighed and closed her eyes.

“Have you ever had a dog?”

“Yes.”

“Was it good?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.  Do you want me to come and live with you?”

“What?”

“I was wondering if I could come and live with you.”

“Do you like cats?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like twenty-six of them?”

“That’s a lot of cats.”

“Tell me about it.  They don’t all live inside.”

“Will they be upset if I move in.”

“I’m sure they will be, but they’ll get used to you…eventually.”

“I’m a good dog.”

“I can see that.”

“Will you make sure they don’t kill me?”

“Yes.”

“I was hoping you were going to say, that they wouldn’t kill me.”

“Okay, they won’t kill you.”

“Are you sure?”

“No.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.”

“I’ll take care of all of that.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” she said.  “I will.”

“Why would you let me move in with you?”

“Because you’re adorable and you asked if you could.”

“I’m adorable.”

“Yes.  Absolutely adorable.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome”

“Can I sleep on your bed at night?”

“If you can find room. Sometimes, there’s hardly room for me.”

“Do you have any chickens?” asked the dog, hopefully.

“Not one. Why?”

“I had one a long time ago.”

“You had a chicken?” she asked.

“We met on the road.”

“I see.”

“The chicken escaped from a farm that killed chickens.”

“Where is the chicken now?”

“We parted ways.  We met up with a bunch of free roaming chickens and she decided to stay with them.”

“I bet you miss your friend..”

“I do.”

“Well, let’s go,” she said.  “The cats will be wondering where I am.”

“Are you going to be my forever home?”

“Can I pick you up?”

“Yes.”

She picked him up and started walking.  “Yes, I’ll be your forever home for as long as you want to stay.”

He licked her and she laughed, wondering how the cats were going to like their new roommate.