Judge Judy and Lessons

 

Just look at us dogs! You can see that I am still the cutest one! It is me, Mr. BoJangles! That is our Dad holding our leashes and we are in a cemetary.

A cemetary is a place where they bury dead people. I had to ask Eddie about that word. I have so many questions about this, but Eddie walked away after he told what a cemetary is. Why is this a good idea? We didn't bury Cujo or Martha, the boy cat. We have their ashes. Mom said they had come back home when she picked up the ashes. I am so confused.

When Dad came home from the hospital, he had this bag that was hanging from his side. This was a mystery to us dogs. It smelled like something I wanted to investigate and maybe roll around in. Dad is not one to pay attention to things around him. Mom says he thinks the entire world is all about him. Nothing wrong with that, I feel the same way about my world!

Dad let that bag lay on the floor on his side of the bed. I saw this, but didn't tell the others. I simply got into the bed and waited until Mom was sleeping. She is always the last one to go to sleep. 

I crept up on her pillow and watched her eyelids for awhile. They didn't move, so I jumped quietly to the floor. Toni said I was in stealth mode. I don't know what that means and rarely pay attention to Toni anyway. I went under the bed on Mom's side and slowly made my way to Dad's side. There it was, the object of my curiosity.

First, I sniffed it quite thoroughly, then noticed a blue thing. I like the color blue. I like to chew on blue things the most, but will take what I can get. This blue thing was a cap that covered the opening of the bag. The bag was mostly empty and I had heard Mom tell Dad that she didn't need to empty it until tomorrow.

The plastic bag was thick and I kind of started chewing on it and next thing I knew, the entire bottom of the bag was gone. I never intended to destroy the bag, I was just curious about what was in the bag. I wondered if Mom would be happy that I emptied the bag for her. I was thinking that she might not be, so I carefully made my way from under the bed and hopped back in the bed.

At first, nothing happened. Dad went back to sleep when Mom got up and it wasn't until she took his pills to him in bed that she noticed my handi-work. Eddie had followed Mom into the bedroom, he follows Mom everywhere. I think he might be a Follow Dog.

Eddie was sniffing the floor and the bag and he immediately knew what had happened, although he admitted later that he wasn't sure if I did it or if Toni did it. Because Eddie was right there, Mom thought he did it! I felt bad about that, but I wasn't going to confess. I am not stupid!

Mom was very upset about the bottomless bag and started making phone calls asking about the bag, but using a name and special number for it. After many phone calls, she proclaimed that she would have to take Dad back to the hospital for a fresh bag. I really felt bad then. 

Mom was crying and telling Dad that he needed to participate in his own care and not expect her to anticipate everything while he just lay there. She was really upset. Before she left, she scolded Eddie quite harshly and asked him why he would do such a thing. Eddie hung his head and wouldn't look at Mom, but he didn't turn me in! Eddie is such a good brother to me.

Mom had to go to the far away hospital, since nobody she called had a replacement bag. She must have been thinking about the situation while she drove. Dad is not big on conversation in the car, so she had lots of time to think. They came home after dark and the bag was the same one they left with. Mom had put one of those bags she puts leftovers in and taped it all shut, but the smell was still there.

She got Dad all settled in bed again and came to sit down with us dogs. Eddie was on the couch next to her and she pulled him onto her lap and started talking softly to him. She apologized for blaming him! How did she know this? Toni Louise jumped up next to her and she told Toni that she knew who it was, the dog that chewed the bag.

I was relieved at first. I thought she was going to blame Toni and I would be off the hook for my crime. But she told Toni that she was a good girl and she knew she was innocent of bag chewing. Then she looked at me, half under a pillow and pretending to be asleep.

How did she figure it out? My mom is smart! It was like she had crawled into my mind and along with all the evidence, she just knew! She should be a judge. I have seen that show, Judge Judy, on TV and my Mom could do that! She could tell who was lying and who was telling the truth.

She scolded me and told me I was a bad boy. I hung my head in shame and she made me sit alone in Dad's chair for a long time. I was supposed to think about my bad acts. I was thinking about how long I had to be without her affection and whether it would mean the loss of my morning treats. She picked me up to go to bed and she told me that she loved me and hoped I had learned a lesson.

The lesson I learned: My Mom will always love me and forgive me!