Dog Parents (Tina on the left, Skye on the right)
For those born in the 80s, Petco didn’t exist in the 70s and pets were pets, and not replacement children to carry around as fashion accessories in pocketbooks. At seventeen, I had the audacity to make fun of the old woman whom I had nicknamed, The Crazy Poodle Lady. She frequented the clothing store where I worked as a teen.
Every time she arrived in the shop, her white poodle fashionista donned the finest clothing, strutting around on painted nails in haute de couture. The lady and her matching poodle were a strange sight to behold when no one dared to dress a dog. Sometimes, the poodle and her owner would show up in matching outfits, such as bright rain slickers, boots, and hats. The woman cooed over her little Binky Boo, talking to the pup as if she were a child. And to Crazy Poodle Lady, Binky Boo was her baby.
I thought the lady and her dog were the most ridiculous sight I’d ever seen. She never knew that I made fun of her, but God was watching me taking notes about my harsh judgment.
After my child-bearing years were gone, I too needed a fur baby. My husband and I purchased a sweet little fur ball Cockapoo, and we fell in love with her raisin eyes, fluff ball fur, and stubby tail. It would wiggle with delight at any attention or food we’d give her. We were smitten.
As new pet parents, we visited PetSmart, and were taken with the fine array of dog clothing, sweaters, and fancy collars. I selected a pink sweater with a heart on the back of it. I rifled through dog coats, deciding on the perfect one to buy for her. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. I had become the Crazy Poodle Lady.
We looked at each other in mock horror. “Oh my gosh. We’ve become dog-people. When your dog has better clothing than you do, when you visit a store just for dog treats, or when your dog gets a massage, instead of booking one for yourself, you’ve crossed over to the other side. Karma has four legs and a tail, and it bit me in the tush. I deserved the bite for being such a snappy teen.
Dog is God spelled backwards.
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