THE WORLD ACCORDING TO DESI
Desi, as it’s plain to see, is a dog. But not just any dog. She’s our dog and the smartest-sweetest-prettiest dog I’ve ever known. No, really! Anyway, recently a kid suggested that I write a book called THE WORLD ACCORDING TO DESI. I’m sure that she’d like that! She looks pretty disgusted when I talk about that hamster, Humphrey and Miranda’s dumb dog, Clem. I point out to her that the hound dog, Sal, is a key character in THE SEVEN WONDERS OF SASSAFRAS SPRINGS. Even better, Duke, the family pet in the upcoming THE PRINCESS AND THE PEABODYS, is a very funny character everyone’s sure to enjoy.
Actually, Desi’s not real big on reading. When she came to her current position, 11 years ago this month, she was about a year or so old, semi-abandoned. From the start, she realized what her new job was: she was to be a boy’s dog. Not just any boy, but my son Walshe’s dog. He was 11 then.
Oh, she did a fine job getting Walshe through middle school and high school. She did everything a dog could do and more. She was especially good at getting him up in the morning by leaping on his bed and licking his face. (Though if I didn’t watch it, she’d curl up with him and go to sleep.) She was a great addition to the often rowdy carpool and even gave the assistant head of school a big lick on the mouth as we let the kids off in the morning. He obviously liked it; he never failed to stick his head in to say hi to her.
She was an excellent companion to the other boys who hung around: Dan and Matt and C.G. in particular. She starred in Walshe’s first video for his Video Art class - he went on to win a major award in that area. A mere coincidence? I think not. She was equally welcoming to the girls when they started coming around.
She laid under Walshe’s desk while he did his homework. She laid outside his door when it was shut, in full protective mode, and never flinched at the loud bass boom-booming out of his room.
She listened to screechy violin playing and later much better guitar playing without howling about her sensitive ears.
She probably heard a lot of secrets. I wouldn’t know. She doesn’t snitch.
And, while she’s never too interested when my husband and I try to engage her in games, she knew what a boy was for: fun. Walshe could always get her to play a game of chase-me-around-the-dining-room-table or catch. Still can.
She loved her job. And then one day, the boy went off to college. She was in the car when I dropped him and his father at the airport for the trip from L.A. to Boston. She probably thought he was spending the night with a friend. Soon, she went into major mourning. Month after month, she laid in front of his bedroom door. (As if I wasn’t sad enough about the too-quiet house.)
Sure, the boy came home for vacations. The first time he came home for Christmas (hadn’t been home since September), Desi got so excited, she hyperventilated. Since then, she’s come to know that he comes and then he goes again. She knows the meaning of a suitcase.
College friends came to visit and there was hoopla again, but it didn’t last long. When Walshe’s girlfriend, Ania, came to visit for the first time a few summers ago, Desi was ecstatic. They had so much in common: they both liked to hang out in the yard, soaking up the rays. (Desi has a strict rule: she must lie in the sun from about noon to two every day. She is a dog who has never known winter.) I think she recognized that Ania was more than just another girl to Walshe.
During the summers when Walshe worked as a camp counselor, she got him up on time as usual, and entertained his fellow counselors who spent a lot of time at our house as well.
Then, he didn’t come back for the summer. He graduated from college and got a job in Boston. Soon, he’ll move to NY.
Desi remains the world’s best dog, but her job is over and she doesn’t like retirement very much. Yes, there’s a little granddaughter, Remy, who adores her. She likes Remy and plays with her but it’s not the same. She’s a boy’s dog.
She can still outrun any dog in the park and when people ask my husband, “How old is your puppy?” he tells them “Six.” “Six months?” is the usual response. She’s forever young, too young to retire. I forgive my husband for not being able to tell the truth and say: 12.
In honor of Desi’s 11th anniversary with our family, I included the pictures above, taken on a dog beach in Santa Barbara, CA last Christmas. The first shows how beautiful she is, but the second picture is the one I love. That view of Desi, moving ahead, unfettered and free at last. I think she might have just kept going. But being a well trained dog, she came when we called her.
Good girl.