230 : A Visitor Cometh

Our next door neighbours (I’ll call them Lisa and Mark because that’s what their names are) have been building an extension and doing some quite radical re-configuring of their existing accommodation.  As part of the process of appeasing us for all the noise and disturbance (and because they are kind, considerate people) they agreed to replace some of the existing fence panels between the two properties (theirs and ours).

They have been doing just that this week.

However it coincided with Lisa looking after her parents’ dog -  a young, energetic, barking spaniel called Toby.  During the week, he has spent sometime in our garden running and chasing a ball.  Worst of all, said ball was thrown for him by my master- TOWTSH (John).

Toby ran…. And ran …. And ran … And ran.  (Imagine another seven ‘And ran’s, my paws are getting tired.)

I was hoping he (Toby) would run over a nail or sharp bit of brick or some other builder’s debris …. but no such luck.  He just continued to run and chase and have fun.

You probably know that I am not generally in favour of fun.  The reward rarely seems to be worth the effort.  Toby, however, is too young, inexperienced and unworldly to recognise this.  I pity him. 

Where will all that fun gets him.  Will it advance his knowledge, his skills, his competencies, his understanding.  If he would just spend some of his running and barking time reading or listening to ‘intelligent podcasts (yes, they do exist) he could become knowledgeable, wise, thoughtful, interesting, like me instead of sweating and breathing heavily like  running and barking dogs do.

If only more dogs were like me ….