Have A Dog

I'm thrilled to introduce you to L. Darby Gibbs a.k.a. Elldee as today's guest poster.  Elldee and I were first introduced on Twitter by @Belinda_Pollard and the three of us, of course, talked about dogs and writing.  Within a couple months of first interacting I told Elldee how much I like the way her brain works! :-)  I think she understood that was my code for, "Wanna be critique partners?" because she graciously steered the conversation in that direction and the rest, as they say, is history.

  

L. Darby Gibbs

Cagney

Muse Extraordinaire

Have a dog, and then we'll talk.

I had a weekend to myself a couple of weeks ago:  Just me, the dogs and my book going through a redraft.  Every now and then one of my two labs would let me know they needed love.  I am a reasonable facsimile for one of them, but for the other, I am a major part of her world.  She will sit next to me leaning against my hip and stretch out her neck so her nose is thrust into my armpit. 

Now I know this is not actually the best image, but let me add some details.  Her nose is warm and dry.  I will put my arm around her so that my hand is on her soft yellow chest.  Warm love in the soft furry economy package running from my hand and the inside of my arm right up to my shoulder on one side and from hip to armpit on the other:  This is love.  Sometimes we sit together with my arm around her for half an hour.  She will stay in this position until her legs get so tired holding her up she must sit.  This is what makes it okay to be alone for two and a half days in a large house by myself.

I don't like it when I am without a dog in my life.  They add finish, a sense of completion.  Too many years went by before we got these ladies after our last Labrador died.  I would sometimes wander the house looking for something.   I wanted to talk to someone, but I didn't know who it was that I needed.  Don't have that problem anymore.   There is always this sweet yellow lab, Cagney, ready to commune in perfect silence with me.

I am a dog person.  I put my faith in the companionship of a dog.  My father was like that.  He too suffered without a canine friend and called me nearly every week gratingly lonely, dripping with sadness.  Then his darling Rhea arrived, and I didn't hear from him for two months.  I had to call him to find out how he was doing.  I could feel his smile through the phone.  It bubbled in his voice, frothed through his laughter and energized his discussion, of course it was largely about Rhea. 

Not feeling like yourself?  Don't have a drink.  Have a dog. 

Loneliness troubling your heart, making you search through pictures for happier memories?  Have a dog.

Feel like no one cares if you come or go?  Have a dog and find a celebration at your every appearance.

Just have a dog, and then we'll talk.

L. Darby Gibbs (aka Elldee) biography: born, traveled, graduated, married, gave birth, live life - all while writing.
Elldee  has four books on Amazon and can be found all over the Internet including at her
Smashwords author page

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LDGibbs
In Times Passed book page
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/77866
Gardens in the Cracks & Other Stories page
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177065
blog at Blogspot.
http://ldarbygibbs.blogspot.com/
Goodreads author page
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5109451.L_Darby_Gibbs
Twitter @LDarbyGibbs


I hope you're having a marvelous Monday!