The Return of the Field Spaniel

The tide comes in and goes out. Who knows what it carries? I thought the Field spaniel had gone out with the tide…until AC called this afternoon trying to suss out my current intentions. We talked about size…she said, “You’re gonna get an English Cocker.” And I thought she was making a prediction.but I think she was asking a question.

I really have fallen for the breed. I love that the standard calls for a noble carriage and gentle grave intelligent eyes. I love that they will carry their own ear in their mouth if they can’t find anything else to carry around. And there’s this other thing, they remind me of a well worn leather jacket that fits perfectly. One you always want to put on.

Then I was all nudgey…I can’t let the balloon go, so I called my vet and asked him about big dog little dog households and he said not to give it a second thought; if anything, the little dogs pick on the big one. Go for it, was his answer. How cool that you found your dream dog. (My dream dogS. I have already 3.)

Then I was nudgey all evening when we were sitting in the theater watching William Hurt as Dr Astroff in Vanya. When we came home, M and I talked about it again. The conversation does not go well. Plus he’s tired. I should NEVER talk to Mark at night. The morning is a much better bet. In any case:

He thinks it would be irresponsible to bring a new dog in. Mainly because he thinks the parrots don’t get enough attention. And it would complicate things. It’s true about the parrots, about whom I am at a loss. I find it difficult to engage with them, and they won’t really just hang out. Well She won’t. She wants interaction. I need to address this more vigorously.

I don’t mind complications. Sometimes they are irritating and overwhelming…but in this arena they are always interesting.

The tide also brought in a piece of the bowl I had only subconsciously recognized…which is that M is not charmed by the spaniels. He still thinks corgi, collie papillon. Not a bad way to think…but I believe he’s kind of taken aback by my fervor. He’s very loyal, he is, to what he knows and loves. I find that moving.

It has to be a joint venture. And he’s right. But that doesn’t make the idea go away, nor does it make it a “bad idea.” He has reason to stand on. Practicality, reasonableness. There is no argument. But it leaves a flat plane in my heart where there were tall noisy grasses on mountains that hurry down to the sea.