Steeled against the wind flowing past the open back window of the Jeep, Buddy is scenting whatever primal smell was airborne. It was grandkid time. At least for Buddy's human parents who were being drawn to worship again at the crib of the first-born grandkid, Ryan Phillip Zegarelli. Yellow Labs like Bud love the squeally sounds of kids playing at whatever game.
Kids are great fun and Bud can run and jump and lick them all with great delight. Yet, for this trip to the Holy Grandkid Grail, Bud was destined to visit and play with his 100 pound Black Lab friend J.J. and his human parents, Tom and Diana, who love J.J. like a son. That is, a son with full grazing rights in the kitchen. Pastrami, prime rib, sushi and whatgever is on the menu. Oh those prawns! All while Buddy's human parents are off to Atlanta to ooh and ahh and change the diapers of the first born of the Noland-Zegarelli alliance.
If interbreeding is a genetic concern, not to worry about a mid-western Lutheran girl marring a Sleepy Hollow (read The Headless Horseman) New York Catholic guy of Italian descent and producing (so far) a blue-eyed, auburn haired boy that is fixated on laptops and cellphones - not to mention an 82" 3D LCD TV. But enough about Mark Zuckerberg and technology. Like ice cream and lollipops, seven month old grandkids are precious enough to lick again and again. If anyone doubts there is a life force within the the human form - observe a seven month old flail his arms for the next bite of pureed sweet potatoes while eyeing the remote control to the monstrous LCD screen in front of him.
Curiosity is rumored to have killed cats. Yet the curiosity of Yellow Labs and grandkids is close behind. For both, the smell and feel of anything earthly is irresistible. Bud's nose is in our clothes and crotches while grandkids stuff everything in their mouths savoring the feel and the memories. This is how community is built and preserved. Smell, taste and feel. But sight, well, has this been airbrushed or cut and pasted? You never know for sure. Smells and tastes those are forever, unless Steve Jobs is VERY good.
It's about reality. You can't fake out dogs or kids - especially grandkids. If you lick them they know they are loved forever - unconditionally. And, isn't that what we all crave? To be licked with unconditional love by our family and friends? Labs, Beagles and other doggies have the spark of compassion and love for humans, evidenced by unfailing love licks - like we would lick or kiss our precious grandkids and others we love.
Eternal bonds of friendship. "While our bonds might be strained by passion, our bonds of friendship should never be broken" spoke President Lincoln during the Civil War. Buddy knows this instinctively. Why don't we? Would that these words would overcome our hearts in today's discussions. But no, our short-term agendas flood the field of our discussions.
Life is fragile. Human events and history move quickly, yet harsh words spurred by emotions etch hurtful words in granite on our hearts. Should our very lives be demanded of us tonight, what choices would we make? Would we continue to make our earthly arguments to fulfill our agendas? Or, would we lay the foundation for a just and peaceful tomorrow for our grandkids (and our doggies)?
Yea, Yellow Labs and their friends have so much to tell us about life and the future. Especially the future. Will it really be any different than it is today? Won't there be love and hate, selfishness and compassion, rich and poor, powerful and weak, the living and the dying? But, will we choose to lick the hated, the selfish, the poor and the dying? Or, will we choose to lick the loved, the selfish, the powerful and the rich and the living? Ah, tough choices if we contemplate our epitaph.
But, if we realize that the choices our grandkids will have tommorow are mostly decided by the choices we make today: to love or to hate, to lift up the weak or the powerful, to help the rich or the poor, our choices are clear. Will we will know whom to lick? Yes, Labs, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, Poodles, Dachsunds and their brethren know upon whom to present their precious slobber. Why can't the humans get it? Hey, Bud, lick my hand again. I love you.
Buddy and Friend (for now)
