Throw Me a Bone

Isis sure has been scarfing down her special birthday cookies with great enthusiasm ever since the first savory morsel appeared in her dish that morning. Since the recipe ended up making a relatively large batch for one lucky pup to eat on her own, I thought they would last her for a good few weeks at least, but clearly she had thoughts of her own that were quite a departure from mine. Reaching into the cupboard to reward her for being so cute, [Her best trick!] I was mystified when my searching hands emerged with nothing, as the container of biscuits was no where to be found. Seeing my dear little chow hound in action for so many years now, I guess I should have seen this coming, but the way that this tiny creature can put away massive amounts of food is still impressive all the same.

As luck would have it, one of Isis’ friends stopped by shortly after to wish her a belated birthday, excited to see his “favorite” basenji in town. Compliments on her lovely fur coat and deep brown eyes followed in quick succession, as though he was merely reading off of a grocery list, entirely impersonal and growing all the more pathetic by the minute. Well, it’s a good thing that we raised her to resist insincere praise like this, because she was completely unswayed by his thinly veiled ulterior motives. Certainly any good friend would be willing to share their birthday treats, especially those fantastic homemade cookies he’s heard so much about, right?

After informing him that he came too late to sample those treats himself, as if Isis had had any intention of sharing the wealth with such a leech, I expected him to scamper off just as quickly as he had dropped in. Much to my surprise, he still forced his way into our begrudgingly opened door and continued to ask for sustenance all the same. Gourmet or not, he came to be fed and was clearly not planning to leave until we obliged. Thinking fast so that we could rid ourselves of this parasite, I hastily exhumed an old box of stale, machine-made “treats” from the back pantry – They were composed more of sawdust than of edible material, but quality was not my greatest concern in this instant.

Hiding his disappointment well, I’m sure he knew very well that beggars can’t be choosers, and the lack-luster goods were consumed without complaint. Despite his rude intrusion, I guess we should still be thankful that he helped clear out more shelf space by taking those inedible bricks off our hands!