A LESSON IN RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
By Jill Arnell
Maggie, Geordie and I just returned from our daily walk through the 'hood. Just inside the front door lay my son's tennis bag and some fresh produce, which my former husband, an organic farmer, had left as a gift for us.
I was sitting at my computer for about fifteen seconds when I heard a wailing and gnashing of teeth coming from the family room and moving toward me. Geordie was chasing Maggie, and there was some more arguing, but it stopped almost as quickly as it started. When The Trolls* arrived at my feet, Maggie had planted herself beside me looking quite self-righteous and peaceful, but Geordie wasted no time in returning to the other room.
I rose to investigate and found Geordie proudly chewing on something. It turned out to be an exceedingly hot jalapeno pepper, one that Maggie had initially lifted from the bag of vegetables left by the threshold. Rapacious little Geordie had decided that he was going to nab it before Maggie had a chance to "savor" it herself.
I have not even the slightest doubt that Maggie was secure in knowing that a bite of this pepper of contention was far worse than one by her brother, as she sat at my side just waiting for the plot to develop. And that it did!. Geordie enjoyed his spoils for all of ten seconds before his tail shot straight down and fell right between his legs like a lead fishing weight cast into a tranquil lake. Looking back ruefully, he shot out the dog door straight into the back yard. Thirty seconds later, he returned and began furiously rubbing his head on the carpet and performing other self-exorcisms to cleanse the his demon palate.
All the while, Maggie, the shaggy embodiment of the contented little Buddha, sat calmly and KNEW...
