Jack Has A New False Accuser

Every day when I come home from town, the dogs go crazy. When T-Hoe is halfway down the driveway, Jack and Copper Jack run across the carport, barking their fool heads off, and jump over the side to run down to the tree line chasing an occasional squirrel that is trying to sneak dog food out of the bowls on the side porch. Except by the time I get out of the Mansion, the dog food is long gone.

Anyhoo... Juno joins in with the fool-head-barking-off, but generally stays at the edge of the carport, and sticks her head under the garage door as it opens. She doesn't go inside. Juno does not like the garage, ever since her very special operation when she was about six months old, and was kept in the garage for 24 hours to let her anesthesia wear off. Even loopy, Juno did not like the garage.

As I park, my little buddy Jack comes in to wait for me by T-Hoe's right front tire. I close the garage door with the remote clipped to the sun visor, and get out, talking to my little Jack. "Is my little buddy in here with me? I bet he is! What a good dog! Coming to greet me every day! Even though I KNOW you're only excited about your TREAT!" 

 

By the time I round the front bumper of T-Hoe, I can see Jack sitting on his haunches, wriggling with anticipation. By the time I reach T-Hoe's license plate, Jack can't hold it any longer. He runs to me and jumps up for petting. Then squats in front of the people door, waiting for me to turn the doorknob so he can slither through the minimal crack he forces with his long body.

Every now and then, Jack gets in trouble. He can't decide IN or OUT. I hit the remote to close the garage door, and it makes a clanking sound. The overhead garage light blinks off and on. I have to wait for the door to go all the way back up, and the lights and clicking to stop, before I can press the remote to close it again. Sometimes this happens more than once. Nothing puts Mrs. HM in a fouler mood, except perhaps dealing with Farmer H's byproducts on the toilet seat.

DANG IT! YOU STUPID DOG! IN OR OUT! I GET SO SICK OF THIS! JUST STOP!!! STAY OUT FROM UNDER THE DANG DOOR!

Of course Jack hears "WAH WAH WAH" like Charlie Brown's teacher voice. But he KNOWS that HM is not happy. When HM ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy! Jack comes around the front of T-Hoe then, his happy-go-lucky bravado gone, crouched down in supplication, very sorry about what he's done. Of course that melts my cold, cold heart. I tell him never mind, I'm over it. He's a good dog after all. And I pet him a little extra.

On Thursday, that dang dog stopped the garage door again. I had my little fit. Only THIS time, I left the garage door up. I got right out instead of gathering my purse and 44 oz Diet Coke first. I walked BACK around to T-Hoe's rear, to get some groceries out. As the hatch was rising, JUNO came darting down the middle of the garage, and out the door! Jack came waddling along behind her, looking confused by my new routine.

I THINK I HAVE BEEN BLAMING THE WRONG DOG!

I think JUNO is the one who darts in and out of the garage, while Jack just comes in and stands there waiting for me by T-Hoe's right front tire!

Sorry, little Jack. I will watch the mirrors next time. You might be too short to see, but Juno's feathery tail should be easy to spot as she darts back and forth.