Picture This Life

Laura and I took Indie for an after dinner walk around the neighborhood tonight. The whispy, dusk clouds in the Western sky glowed crimson, tangerine and plum. They are calling for rain tomorrow and I was puzzledly thinking about how they say “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight” when something caught my eye.

Duct taped to the metal streetlight post, a tattered piece of white printer paper flapped in the breeze.

It caught Laura’s eye too. She read it to Indie and I.

Laura:

Colin’s Dog Walking Service

one lap around the neighborhood – 50 cents

two laps around the neighborhood – 75 cents

five laps around the neighborhood – $2

five minutes of grooming – $1

ten minutes of grooming – $2

grooming as long as you want – $5 (she giggles)

p.s. 50% of proceeds go to charity

Laura and I chuckle at this enterprising youngster’s advertisement.

Indie looks at me impatiently. We’ve been standing still too long.

I bend down and gently pull her muzzle close to my face and gaze into her auburn eyes. She licks me from chin to forehead with one swipe of her rough, pink tongue.

Me: Indie, we’ve walked you around this neighborhood every day for the past two and a half years. You owe us $400.

She wags her tail. Spins in an excited circle. And licks me again.

We decide to call it even.