Earlier this week, I was working from home by myself. Well, the two corgis were here, but Rhonda was out. I had taken the dogs outside for a break and was waiting on the porch for their return from doing their business in our fenced yard. The older of the two, Rhodie, came right back and joined me on the porch. Where, oh where, was the younger one, Pearl?
I called her. Nothing. I squeaked her favorite toy, usually a surefire way to get her to come running. Nothing. I cracked our horse whip (no, we don't use it on the dogs; we just use it for the sound that usually makes them come running). Nothing.
Then I saw her. Pearl was behind a tree right next to the fence to our neighbor's house. She came out from behind the tree and began to walk towards me with pride in every step. In her mouth was a squirrel. It wasn't moving. There was a lot of red to be seen. Quickly, I put the other dog in the house. Now it was me, the squirrel, and Pearl.
Although Pearl was very proud of having the squirrel and I could tell some part of her wanted to give it to me, there was a much bigger part of her who wanted to keep the catch. I had no idea if she found the squirrel already deceased or if she had caused the death. Either way, I had to get the squirrel from her. This wasn't the first time she had a dead squirrel - the last time she managed to get one into the house and that resulted in my having to do some clean-up I'd rather not discuss.
I tried walking closer to her, but she would turn and walk the other way. For quite awhile we played the game of keep-away. "It's my squirrel and you can't have it." I was frustrated not only because now I had to deal with the dead squirrel, something that would normally come under Rhonda's job description along with taking spiders outside, but I had a full work to-do list that wasn't getting done.
What to do? Finally, it dawned on me. What we resist persists. What if she thought I didn't care about the squirrel? What if I ignored her? I went back to the porch and stood with my back to the walkway and to Pearl. I acted like I was looking at my phone. I heard her come up the steps behind me and then leave again. I stayed still and kept my back to her. Slowly, she came up the steps again. I held my breath.
Pearl moved slightly in front of me by the door, her prize still held tightly in her mouth. I reached down and grabbed her by her collar and, still holding the prize, she looked at me sideways as if to say, "But Mommy, I can have so much fun with this in the house. Let me show it to Rhodie, please?" I had to give her the command to drop it a few times. Finally, she did. I scooted her into the house, shut the door behind her and then had to deal with the consequences of her predatory nature.
Maybe if there's something you've been chasing in your life, all you have to do is turn your back on it and it will come to you. Here's the mighty huntress - looks so innocent, right?
20/365
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