The Lady of the House

I think that Goddess is dealing with abandonment issues. For the better part of the past two weeks, I have been gone and Kim Fitz has been looking after her for me. Kim is actually thinking about quitting her full time job at United Way because it far more lucrative pay watching Goddess.

When I returned home Sunday, Goddess jumped around the house like a money humper, running into my leg, rolling over wanting me to rub her, trying to lick my face...basically trying to convey every single expression of doggie love at the same time. It bordered on obscenity. Kim blushed. It is evident that Goddess loves me.

Anyway that night, I had dinner out with Kristen. The following night, I met my new friend for cocktails. And on Tuesday night, some kids just out of college with lots of corporate money to spend took me out wanting Union Mission's business.

On Wednesday night I planned to stay in a cook and just take it easy. After my Mom and Kim's admonishment of decorating my house as though it is Ethiopia, I actually went to the grocery store and stocked up. Food was everywhere. But when it came down to it, it just didn't seem worth the effort, so I shut the door to the fridge and decided to run up to Stingrays for shrimp.

Goddess was laying on her bench underneath the window. "Come on! Let's go potty," I commanded.

Now normally, she will leap from the bench, run across the living room, through the kitchen and out of her doggie door. She may or may not actually do anything because she knows that she gets a treat, I shut the doggie door (Goddess was actually given 6months probation by Tybee Court once, but that is another story), and I leave.

When I commanded her to come, she stared at me as though I had lost my mind. She didn't budge. She just stared at me. And I looked at her and my heart broke a little.

"Fine, have it your way," I said with a laugh and I stayed home and cooked and brushed her and took her for a long meandering walk. That night, she slept literally as close to the bed as possible.

Then last night it was back to town again for United Way's Beacon Society gathering. We had always enjoyed this and I didn't want to go alone this year so Keller Deal went with me. As soon as we arrived, someone said, "Mike you've lost weight!"

Beaming,I answered loudly as though on an infomercial, "That is because I have discovered the greatest secret to weight loss ever!"

Keller giggled and turned her head.

A bit later, Kim Fitz and I were standing talking when a couple walked up. They greeted me and asked me how I was doing with sympathetic concern in their eyes.

"I'm good! Meet Kim," I answered, "she is the keeper of my house."

Their eyes grew wide and Kim took half a step backwards with a smile and a nod of the head as though to say, "It's true."

So it was like this for a couple of hours, then it was back to Tybee. When I got home, Goddess acted like a money humper, running into my leg, rolling over wanting me to rub her, trying to lick my face...basically trying to convey every single expression of doggie love at the same time. I was home.

So I laid in the floor and I loved her back. Then I promised the Lady of the House that the weekend was all hers.