the cure for the holiday spirit (qotd:120607)

I’m starting to get into the holiday spirit. You know, the fear that years are passing you by while you blink, worry that next year will be the same, and paralyzing depression. I thought that maybe I would feel better after shaving, showering, and getting out of the house. I’ve been trying to see the sun at least once a day.

So I was out running an errand for my brother at Borders, and I may have stumbled across the cure for this holiday spirit. I was in the Paradise Valley Mall (PV Mall to the locals), so I thought I might as well stop in “Puppies ‘n’ Love.” It won’t hurt just to look.

I wandered around awhile looking at all the things you can get for your dog. That’s when I realized that this “all things dog” store had 200 different styles of leash and harness, but nowhere in sight was dog food. And there were x-mas ornaments with your dog’s picture, but no “accident” cleaning supplies. They have enough doggy clothing to fill a trunk and play dress-up for days (let me tell you, this is where I get suckered into it). Yet somehow when ordering inventory for the store, someone neglected to put those little bags you use to pick up poop on your 5 daily walks on the list. hmmm...

That’s when I realized that is how they get you. They show you all the fun stuff, and none of the responsibilities. So when you get to the $2000 (correction: in interest of fair reporting, the Chihuahua was $1999) adoption fee for your little bundle of joy, it seems worth it.

And why does a living being come with a 2 to 4 year warranty? There’s something disturbing about that to me.

Anyway. The cure: I really did have a great time seeing the puppies. It was like being at the zoo. Their frolicking and barking made me smile. The best part though? I don’t have to clean up. If one of these doggies makes a mess, I can simply leave the store. Nice, huh?



I stood there trying not to grin too much as the little Chihuahua tried to eat his cage mate, and overheard several mothers in the store with their children. Their conversations with the kids were so amusing.

I overheard one say, “I love the Shit-tzu.” Then her son said, “Mom, you already have a Shit-tzu.” To which she whined, “I know, but I want it!”

Then I heard a young girl ask her mom, “What kind is that? It’s soooo cute!”
“The sign says it’s a puh-pill-lun.”
I shuttered involuntarily.
“What’s that?”
“I think it’s a cross between a Pomeranian and something,” the mother surmised.
I tried not to judge. It wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t know that breed either. I resisted the urge to correct her. But in my head I became Wikipedia.com’s page on Papillon. It’s actually pronounced paw-pee-yon which is the French word for butterfly (and nasal it up! this is French, okay? not Freedom Fries day at the White House). This breed got its name from the way the adult’s ears and face resemble a butterfly.

In her defense, Pomeranian is a great guess for this fuzzy looking puppy! awwww!
And with all these designer breeds these days, who knows what they’re gonna cross next.

As depressed as I may get, it’s good to know I haven’t lost the time-honored tradition of looking down on the common folk. Oh look! I really am in the holiday spirit!