ELBEE That title makes me feel like singing but it’s too hot.
The recent heat wave almost makes me miss the blizzards we had when I was growing up in Syracuse…almost. It’s tough on the Doods too. They’ll walk to the door when they need to go out and then just stand there when they realize how hot it is.
In the house, they gravitate to the coolest spots. They like to hang out in the shower or wrapped around a toilet.
Stanley and Gus worked last week and I have to say, the perfectly controlled hospital temperature was a treat. At UCLA I drove up to the valet so we walked right into the lobby. Once we were up in our regular neuropsych units, I completely forgot about the heat, caught up in the joy and excitement of Stanley’s arrival.
As we sat on the floor with everyone gathered around us, one boy kept glancing from me to Stanley, and finally asked, “Were you here a few years ago with two other dogs?” Turns out that he remembered meeting Charley and Elbee. Sadly, the kids in neuropsych are frequently in and out of the hospital over time but they all seem to have positive memories of the dogs. Many still have their trading cards.
Since the dogs usually do bring out the best in everyone, I was a little surprised when one of the teens told me he was a bit upset that Stanley was there. Then he laughed and said, “I like to be angry and I can’t be angry when he’s here.”
At Tarzana we had to walk from the garage to the hospital entrance. It wasn’t bad when we got there, but when we were leaving, I was so worried about the hot sidewalk that I carried Gus. One man, seeing me with my arms full, looked at me a little strangely. I nodded to the hot sidewalk and he smiled and said, “You’re a good dog mom.”
STANLEY She never carries me.
In the elevator coming down, Gus had been sniffing a woman’s shoes. Trying to be friendly I had remarked,”Oh, you must have a dog.” I was speechless when she answered, “No. I have a cat and three snakes.”
ELBEE That’s what she gets for being such a yenta!
