Jan 20 2007
The Nebe and Shirley Act
The first time I enter Laverne and Shirley’s home a rambunctious golden retriever bounds towards us, hindquarters waggling in excitement. The dog looks at Shirley – “I know who she is” – the dog looks at me – “Oooh! Someone NEW! Must say HI!” and I can see those hindquarters tucking in and getting ready.
I back up just as the dog gets ready to plant its forepaws on me.
“NEBE!” says Shirley. Nebe pauses. She looks at Shirley, whatever, looks back at me and tenses up for another try.
“Neeeh-bay….Neehh..bay..” Shirley says, looking directly at the dog. Nebe jumps up at me and I grab her forepaws, one in each hand, placing her back on the ground.
“NEBE!” Shirley says again and this time Nebe looks a bit abashed but dances around us going for cute.
Nebe is about a year old and still has a lot of puppy about her.
Shirley sighs, “With everyone visiting, she’s getting spoiled and she doesn’t want to obey.”
Throughout the trip I can see Nebe working it. Smiling and flirting, spoiled and demanding. Typical teenage girl.
Most of the houses in the area have dogs, many more than one. The dogs were smart. Every morning they managed to time it so that they began furiously barking 30 minutes before I wanted to wake up. Once they started, Nebe would join them. Followed by Shirley: “Nebe! … Neehhhh-bay. …NEBE!”
Nebe was obedient…in her fashion. She’d hear your command. She’d look at you. She’d ponder. You could almost see her thinking, “Hmm. Define Sit.“
After she’d given the command some thought, she’d execute her version of the desired response. Sitting usually meant plunking her rear down. Briefly.
Shirley: Nebe!
Nebe: [pondering...pondering...]
Shirley: Neehh-bay…
Nebe: [lah-lah-lah-lah-I'm so pretty! Oh-so-pretty! I-am-pretty-and-witty-and-!]
Shirley: NEBE!
Nebe: [Sigh. If you insist. This is so not what I want to be doing right now.]
The Nebe and Shirley Act. I’d see it whenever food was involved. Nebe would inch closer and closer to the food.
“Nebe!”
Pause. Inch. Inch.
“Neeehhh-bay…”
Paaauuusse. Inch. La-lah-lah…Inch.
“NEBE!”
Shirley rarely resorted to The Tone. Nebe didn’t even bother obeying when she heard it. She plopped onto her back and exposed her soft, white belly.
Mercy.
The photo is not too bad, it’s of me so it can’t really be bad, but surely you have one where I am better prepared for the photo. In this photo I am obviously busy with something else and am being distracted by the photographer and therefore I do not look my best. Not that my “not so good†is not good.
Anyway, thanks for telling people about me, this way I can enrich many more lives. If you need more material for the blog, off course featuring me, let me know. I do, do some poetry in my spare time. But just more photo’s of me should be enough.
Hi, Nebe – I totally agree with you, you always look good. If I recall, you stunk, and stunk bad when I took that photo. Not your fault, but despite your bad odor, you looked great.
But smelling bad is relative. I am sure you smell great to fellow dogs.
I had no idea you wrote poetry in your spare time. You’re very creative. I’ve seen your Mixed Media Garden “Installation” in Laverne and Shirley’s backyard. Impressive.
What was it you told me, that the large holes that ring the base of a shade tree echo the emptiness in our hearts? And that the ratty tennis balls that you place at the base of the holes represent our Inner Child who we must dig up and allowed to play?
You really do enrich and touch the lives of the people around you. Thanks for your comment.
Ms Q you must come visit again not just because you miss me, but to see my latest creations in the garden.
You know since all my Christmas holiday visitors left I have more time to spend on my garden creations.