It’s Orange! I Think… 

Today I woke up to another perfect day. As always, before I start my day, I pause, take a deep energizing breath, look around and marvel at the beauty around me: the bright yellow sun, the blue sky. I stand up, stretch every limb, and take a second to check my happiness meter. I nod knowing I’m very lucky. No reason to hurry. The day is not too hot; it’s just right. The birds are chirping but not too loud.  A warm breeze floats by and gently touches the tip of my nose. Then I wait and listen as the leaves rustle just a bit but not too much.

Now, as I’m laying outside on the patio stretched out on a very comfy lawn chair I know I’m not to use, I think, “Ahh, this is the perfect life!”  I inhale deeply a fresh breath of summer air. I relax and quickly fall into a deep midday snooze. “zzz. ZZZZ. Zzzz” Just as my dream starts, I hear my name called.

My ear quickly perks up and I try to catch the direction of the sound. I yawn, stretch my legs and gingerly walk toward the sound. Automatically I sit directly in front of her. Okay, she has my full attention. I watch her closely. I sit and patiently wait. She is the center of my world. Everything I do depends on her. Suddenly, out of the corner of one eye, I see something whiz quickly by. Whoosh! I turn to look to see what it is.... but my reaction is too slow, and I miss it completely. It’s gone.

Without thinking I lift my nose and try to capture a scent it might have left behind. Sniff, sniff, sniff.... nothing. “Darn!” Before I’ve found it, I’ve lost it!  I quickly look around one more time and still don’t see it, so I walk in a circle one time then two, and lay down. I do that automatically and haven’t a clue why.

Again, she calls me, and somehow, I’m sitting in front of her. I wait and my entire body tenses. I’m focused.  My body shifts into gear and now tilts left then right, like a sailboat floating in the water. I raise my left front paw and hold it halfway up in a perfect pose, just like I’ve seen in photos of hunting dogs.  My eyes are focused on her.  For one second I look up and out of the corner of my eye, I catch an orange glimpse. It whizzes by. I am confident I see a tiny speck. For sure it is orange and moves fast. I just know it! I think.

Oh, I’m so excited! It’s my mission. My heart beats quickly as I try to focus. Pounding, pounding, and its thump, thumping echoes loudly in my ears.  It’s hard to sit still. My feet keep wiggling. I desperately want to find it and catch it. I want to hold it and maybe eat it. I’m waiting for my cue. Oh, how I wish she would hurry.

She calls my name and catches my attention. I sit directly in front of her and wait. There it is! My cue.  I turn and quickly run after it. Wow, it moves fast but I know I can run faster! I am right behind. I see it.  It rolls, and I run. It bounces, and I jump. Fast, faster. I’m almost catching up. I refuse to give up. But then I look away for a second and I lose sight of it. Where did it go?  I turn my head in all directions, right, left, up, and down. I look around my legs, I look under my belly but it ...vanished. It’s my fault. I lost my focus momentarily. I make up my mind that however attempts it takes I will succeed and catch it.

 I look at her and she doesn’t seem to mind, she just smiles and waits.

This orange thing has me puzzled. I can’t help myself I have to find out what it is. It is connected to her in some way. It appears magically when she is around. She appears and then mysteriously the orange thing whizzes by. It doesn’t matter how many times it whizzes by, I am fascinated and bent to capture it. It’s my mission.

Again, she calls my name. I look at her and instantly out of the corner of my eye there it is. This time flying right above my head. I run and I’m sure I’ll catch it but nope, it is gone. I’m searching everywhere. My nose is to the ground and hunting for a scent.  I quickly run over to something that moves and looks a bit orange...but it turns out to be a big orange bug that stares at me with huge bug eyes that are scary. It isn’t the orange thing I look for. It just can’t be.

She calls my name and I look at her. Focused. Intentionally keeping my attention directed only at her. I hold my right foot up so it’s ready. That way, one foot is halfway set to run.  There it is!

It’s on its way, and I’m right behind. She happily eggs me on. Clapping and cheering.  And then I reach out, almost within my reach, I speed up and stretch all I possibly can, and I triumphantly pounce on it and capture it in my mouth. Eureka! I am victorious over the orange thing. It’s round and soft. I’ve waited so long for this very moment. I eagerly bite it as I imagine eating a crispy piece of bacon, but it doesn’t taste as good as I thought. Hmm.

Maybe the orange thing isn’t for snacking, but I’ll bite into it again anyway to make sure. Nope, the second bite wasn’t any better. Gross!

Then for some unknown reason, I have a desire to take this orange thing back to her and drop it at her feet. Mission accomplished. I feel satisfied. I’ve done my job. She bends down and picks it up. And just like before, it whizzes by me, and I’m chasing it with such glee I’m bouncing. I have forgotten all about eating it and just want to chase it and catch it. Over and over again. Oh, can life be any better than this very moment?  Nope.

 In case you haven’t already guessed, that orange thing is my ball! Who would think that a round blob of orange rubber could bring me such joy? She has control of it, but I don’t care. If it appears, and I can chase it down I’m a very happy pup!

The End…Until she throws the ball again.