Zen Pencils by Gavin Aung Than for March 11, 2024

From Not Always Right: #1— No Pets, No Empathy

One time, my family (except for Dad) was traveling and got caught in a nightmare of a storm in the mountains. With heavy freezing rain, slippery mountain roads, high winds, and almost zero visibility, driving conditions were very dangerous. My mother decided that she didn’t want to drive her six kids — ranging in age from toddler to mid-teens (me) — through that, even though we were only about a couple hours from our destination, so she pulled over at a little hotel as night came on. She did note the sign saying, “No pets,” but figured we could leave our half-grown dog in the car. (It was cold but not dangerously so.)

When the guy at the desk asked if we had any pets, my scrupulously honest mother admitted we did but said we’d leave him in the car. The guy still refused to give us a room because, quote, “he might bark”.

This vile excuse for a human being sent a mother and a half-dozen kids driving down steep mountain roads, at night, during a horrible storm, because he was afraid a puppy might bark.

It still ticks me off thirty years later.

#2—The Real Gift Is A Relative Who Understands Your Pets

A few Christmases ago, my younger sister brought her boyfriend to our family gathering. The largest box under the tree was addressed to “[Younger Sister] and Cats”.

Sister’s Boyfriend: “We appreciate the gift, but you know the cats are just going to play with the box.”

Me: “Their gift is the box.”

[Sister’s Boyfriend] stared at me with the open-faced shock of someone whose mind has just been blown.

I had bought the largest box possible at an office supply store, cut a pet door in the side, and reinforced the corners with duct tape.

#3—https://notalwaysright.Com/no-pets-means-no-pets/315233/

#4—https://notalwaysright.Com/sometimes-you-just-have-to-get-those-pets-out/265508/

My first three cats would line up at the nearest window to where I parked my car, and just watch. Well, I could see Freya mewing her head off. I was twined against when I got in the door.

Years ago when we had just got our last dog, another Border Collie called Samba, My dad came home after a particularly bad at work. My dad NEVER talked about work at home no matter how heavy his day was. He would just go into the sitting room with a drink before dinner and just have some “quiet time” by himself. This evening though when I went to see if he was alright I could see that he wasn’t. He was so stiff and tense from the day you could feel it in the room. I went and got Samba who was only a 2 month old puppy at the time. I said to Dad “I have an instant cure to make you feel better about everything. Here give your new friend a cuddle”. I put Samba on his knee and left them alone. When I came back into the room the two of them were laughing and playing together and all of Dad’s tension and anxiety was gone and it was on that night the two truly bonded and were so close until Dad’s death 3 years later. They are both dead now, but I’d like think they are together in Heaven somewhere with my mother still laughing and playing with each other with all the other dogs we lost along the way.

I have had days like that and so looked forward to being with the pack or clowder when returning home. They don’t care about your day, they are just so glad to see you and want you to be happy.

No matter why it hurts, dogs make everything feel better.

It is said by Native Americans that the Great Spirit created all things….except the dog. The dog was with the Great Spirit from the beginning. Of all the creatures mankind has had around the dog is one who will lay on his owners grave and die right there.

While the dog is the cause of happiness here, Vonnegut was referring to ANYTHING that was enjoyable. There are way more nice things than negative things, if we just take time to notice.

I hope someday to become the man my dog thinks I am.

What a important message fitting neatly inside a wide smile. Thanks Gavin.