We do not live in an over fifty-five community officially, but it might as well be. All our neighbors have gray hair and the only children in evidence are visiting grandchildren. We fit right in with the gray hair and the visiting grandchildren, but in one, seemingly important way, we are out of step with our fellow residents. We do not have a dog. And more specifically, we do not have a little, white fluffy dog.
Our fellow residents are devoted dog walkers and out our windows we can see every variety of little white dog as they are taken out for their daily constitutionals. Some look like cotton balls, some are sleeker with pointed noses, some as bright white and some graying with age. But all are small and white.
We are not about to introduce a dog into our lives at this point, and I am not drawn to the small, fluffy variety in any case. But these pets are an important part of their owners’ lives, which I appreciate, while not wanting to participate.
I am on the board of our homeowners association and every meeting begins with dog status reports, tales of visits to the vets, and wonderful things the dogs have done. I, of course, cannot participate but I listen with interest realizing that these pets bring something special into their owners’ lives. They bring love, comfort, companionship, and company into a house perhaps made lonely by a spouse’s demise. But I still wonder --- do they all have to be white and fluffy?