My Backyard

I have been very busy these last few weeks. Actually, my family has been very busy, and I have had to be more flexible in my everyday schedule to keep up with them.  I should have known that something was up, because I noticed She-Who-Is-In-Charge was busy writing things in those boxes on Her calendar that hangs on the wall in the kitchen.

Little by little She was filling up the days and weeks with events and times and things She needed to complete. She is a good planner, likes to see things written down so that She can keep everyone up to speed and ready to go with the flow. The first thing that happened that changed my daily schedule was my Boy’s graduation from college.

Even though I wanted to, I didn’t get to go in the car with them; but they talked to me about what was going to happen for weeks ahead to prepare me for what it was going to be like on the day when they were going to go and see him get something they called his diploma. I know they were very excited, bought some fancy clothes for the event. 

The Big Grownup took me for lots of extra walks around our neighborhood that special morning, talked to me about what the day was going to bring, warned me that I would have to behave myself while they were away and I was left alone with Sam and Max in the house. I remember that it was a very overcast day that day, and that our phone kept ringing and She kept telling people not to worry if they couldn’t make the ceremony, that She would take lots of pictures. 

Off they went, the two of them, all dressed up, coats and umbrellas thrown over their arms, their cell phones and digital cameras fully charged, and their tickets tucked into their pockets. I waited a long time for them to come home, such a long time that it had turned dark outside, and I didn’t have anything for supper except dog food in my dish.

I am used to something home-cooked every night, and my stomach was growling by the time they walked through the door and kissed me hello. The Big Grownup clicked me onto my leash and took me for a walk before he even put down his coat, while She went to find Sam and Max to see how they were doing and give them their long overdue fancy feast supper.

I took the Big Grownup for a long trek along the streets of our neighborhood, partly to make up for all the fresh air I missed while I was cooped up indoors, as well as to stretch out my over-rested muscles I had kept mostly curled up on the couch while I waited for my family’s return. Everything was wet along our path, and the Big Grownup was wearing his shiny shoes, so we had to step very carefully so he wouldn’t slip or get his shoes dirty.

I expected to find the Boy’s car in our driveway when we finished our wandering, but when we reached home the only car there was our regular one. She-Who-Is-In-Charge had changed Her outfit when we came back in the house, was wearing Her flip-flop shoes and comfortable clothes to greet us on our return. The Big Grownup changed too, untied that thing he wears around his neck, unbuttoned His fancy white shirt with the buttons on the collar, slipped off his shiny belt and rolled it up and put it away in his drawer.

Then he went over to the stove and started my home-cooked supper, made one of my favorite hamburger dishes that is one of his specialties. They talked while my supper was cooking, retraced their day with the Boy. I got to listen to them while I lay on the floor by the stove, their conversation mixed in with the aroma of my soon-to-be-served supper.

Their story was funny to me, since their conversation began with how lucky they were to have seats under the tent, and I know for a fact that She-Who-Is-In-Charge does not like camping so She’d never go in a tent under any circumstances. Why they would go in a tent on this day confused me for sure. Then they talked about meeting up with the Girl and her guy who also wanted to see the Boy graduate, remarked about how windy and cloudy the day was, how worried they were about the threat of rain for most of the day, discussed where each of them thought the best place was at the ceremony to stand and wait to take pictures of the Boy with his degree in his hand, commented about the hundreds of parents of all the other students and how proud everyone was to be sharing this day with their graduate.

To my surprise I found out that they had already had dinner before they came home, had taken the Boy, the Girl and her guy, and some other friends to a fancy restaurant near the Boy’s college to eat together and enjoy this special event. I was surprised to hear they had already eaten, mostly because they didn’t bring me back their leftovers, something they always do when they eat someplace else besides home.

Once the Big Grownup had served up my supper, She-Who-Is-In-Charge told him She was going to download Her camera, whatever that means. Next thing I knew, pictures of the Boy were lit up on the computer screen, and we all watched together as different shots of him came up on the monitor. He was wearing a black robe with a gold cord around his shoulders, with a funny-looking flat hat sitting on his head, a black tassel hanging off to one side. I have to admit that he looked pretty handsome, despite this silly get-up of his that he was wearing. He was smiling in all of these pictures, this Boy of ours, and I noticed that it made them smile to see him on the screen. And so it made me smile to look at this happy family of mine.

I’ll admit it was a long day for me to be home all alone, but in the end it was worth it to see all the joy in their faces, and feel it in my heart. I know. Lucky me.