Humans and Animals

Humans and animals can never be friends, unless there is money involved. Even if you fall in love with a stray, one day you're going to have to neuter/spay and pay for it. You know?

I was thinking about this because at lunch the other day. My friend and I were sitting by this fountain in front of our office, making fun of the people around us. Apparently there was a duck swimming around in the fountain pool. I couldn't see it for the longest time, and then poof! there it was, with a whole little troupe behind it... ducks... gaggle, no geese. Train? Anyway, Momma Duck was taking Baby Ducklings for a swim. Nature in the city. Then I noticed this girl, about 12, pretending to be older by carrying a purse, go up to look at the ducks. And she started waving to them. Not frantically or anything, just a little wave. And she waited, as if they were going to stop swimming and wave back. They did not. She tried again. They did not. One more time. Maybe. Will they? Alas, no. And then she had to run off to find her parents because obviously this is something the girl does often, stopping to wave at the animals, and the parents stroll on tired of her shenanigans.

It was pretty amusing, and I thought to myself, stupid girl waving at the ducks. Not in a mean way or anything, just a ha ha ha, you're so young and you know so little of the world-way.

As I was walking home that night I passed a dog, and its owner. And I smiled at the dog. Dogs make me happy. But then I felt like a hypocrite because I made fun of the girl waving at the ducks, and then I go and smile at a dog. It's almost as if I tried to have a conversation with a squirrel or something, but not... at all. I mean the dog isn't going to remember me, and the ducks won't remember the girl, but I will remember it all. Every shining detail. And I'm not so sure where this is going anymore. I thought this would be a witty, witty post, and now it's spiraling, spiraling down, down, down into the darkness of huh, wha'chu talkin' 'bout?

So, money. If I had it and more free time, I would buy these pets. But I do not, and so they don't care whether or not I smile at them. I'm going to continue to smile though, I tell you this. I can't just ignore a dog and not say anything, unless it's big and scary, or ugly. I will continue to tell owners, "I love your dog." Maybe that's a little extreme. Loving a stranger's dog. Does this worry them when I say it? I mean it as a compliment... maybe I just will say, "I like your dog." or, "Oh. What a pretty dog." I wonder what kind of reaction I'd get if I said, "Mmm. That's a good-looking dog you have there. Mmm, yeah." I don't think I could say it though, because I got slightly creeped out just typing it. But I will continue to smile and comment and wish I had my own.

That's just an observation. That's all I have on this topic.