What's in your wallet?
I’m going to miss the 4-H fair this summer. This year Boy Scout summer camp is the same week as the Clayton County 4-H fair. The Boy Scout troop is going to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for two weeks. Making a choice between camping in the mountains and the local fair, camping won. I love the fair. We’ve had so much fun with 4H every summer.
A couple of years ago Garrett signed up for dog training classes through 4-H. He and Spike went every week and learned to communicate and work together. Spike loved the attention, the other dogs, and getting off the farm. Every afternoon they practiced their obedience commands. On the day of the dog show we packed Spike’s water bowl, snacks, leash, and collar. He was bathed, brushed and cleaned up pretty good. The 4-H dog show is an all day event. On show day Just about every dog in the county gets dragged to the fair.
There wasn't much shade on the fair grounds so we kept Spike well hydrated; very, very hydrated. When their class was announced Garrett and Spike headed into the arena. All the dogs circled to the left, walking at their handlers side. Over the loud speaker came the command “Reverse your dog, Reverse your dog.” All the dogs circled and walked to the right. “Sit your dogs, sit your dogs” came the next command. So far, so good. After the 'down stay', Garrett picked up Spike’s leash beginning the next command, “walk your dog”. As I looked across the arena I noticed that Spike wasn't walking, he was three legged. I realized what was happening. Spike was relieving himself into a woman’s purse! Pulling on the leash, Spike wouldn’t budge. Being a farm dog, Spike takes care of himself; we don’t walk him. Our farm has 35 acres of timber, that's plenty of trees to accommodate him. It never occurred to us that Spike might need to visit a tree.
Panicking, I grabbed a water bottle, paper towels, and pushed my way to the bleachers where the woman was seated. Spewing apologies, I began dabbing and wiping the outside of her purse. What’s correct etiquette when your dog pee’s in someones purse? Has Miss Manners ever addressed this issue?
Dear Miss Manners,
My dog relieved himself on a woman’s purse. What should
I have done?
Signed,
Embarrassed in Iowa
At the time of the fair we'd only lived in Iowa for a few months, we didn’t know too many folks yet. The next Sunday, during church coffee hour, a woman tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Hi, remember me?” At first I didn’t. Then it dawned on me, “Were you at the 4-H fair? Do you have a cloth purse with a floral pattern?” She had, at one time, she threw it away, though. I felt my face turned crimson.
Spike was the Reserve Grand Champion of Obedience that year (despite relieving himself ringside). This year I’ll go and watch. It won’t be the same. The horse show and project displays will bring back a flood of memories as frantic mothers run past me dragging kids, dogs, and food. I’ll breath a nostalgic sigh of relief and enjoy this years reprieve. Next year the chaotic joy resumes.
©Glenda Plozay, Forest Hill Farm Products,LLC
