A Pat for Cappy

We have to say goodbye to our dog.

It’s not really our dog, but it thinks it is. It actually belongs to the man kitty-corner across the street, but when I first moved in the dog was in the habit of coming over to my side of the street to lie in the shade, and by and by we got to know each other and became friends.

The dog’s name is Cappy, and, when Craig moved in, it loved him at first sight. It’s a real sweet dog. Kind of lazy. It eats the fresh free range eggs it finds in the brush, shell and all, which is probably why it refuses to chase the chickens away from beneath my window, but you can’t have everything.

You may have noticed, if you’re grammar observant like some of us geeks, that I have not referred to this dog as he or she. There’s a story there.

When I first met Cappy, I was introduced to the dog as “him”. He had a wonderful homely sister named Manchas.

She was my first connection with the pair, as Cappy used to hang back more and Manchas wanted to sit in my lap immediately. They were inseparable. Both of them would sit in front of my gate and bark appropriately whenever a stranger came down the street. They were always sitting up, ears perked, when I rounded the corner to home, whether in the car or on foot. The rest of the time, they slept in the shade, wherever they found it.

Manchas died about two years ago. Cappy and I missed her and commiserated often. From that time on, Cappy has stayed on as my loyal buddy, guardian, and finger licker. He adopted Craig into the clan with joy. 

Cappy meets us at the door every time we come home from anywhere, whining and wagging his backside, and continues his deep bark at mysterious persons, and of course is rewarded for his sweetness and loyalty by generous meaty snacks from the refrigerator on a regular basis.

So for nearly five years, Cappy was a him.

Then one day, as Craig and I are driving up the hill, we see Cappy by the side of the road about a block away. As usual, the dog immediately starts loping toward home so as to be there when the car doors open. Then it stops to pee at which point we stop the car and gape at each other. “Cappy’s a SHE?” we say simultaneously.

Now, the thing about Cappy that I haven’t told you is that he/she looks more like a footstool than a dog. She is not a youngster. She is far from beautiful except for her eyes. But she is mature and quite dignified, except for the whining and finger licking part. So we’ve never actually checked more closely as to gender. It seems presumptous and decidedly UNdignified to put her through such a thing.

Instead, we pretty much go back and forth calling Cappy “him” and “her”. After all, Cappy could potentially be a name for a girl as well as a boy, couldn’t it? Short for Caponia or Caprice? Actually it’s short for Cappuccino (which is masculine), or maybe Capucine (who was a woman). 

The truth is, she is the dog equivalent of Pat. Remember that character Julia Sweeney played on Saturday Night LIve? And you really couldn’t tell at all if Pat was a he or a she? That’s Cappy. 

So Craig will say, “That Cappy’s such a good boy,” and I’ll say, “Yes, she is, isn’t she?” and like that.

A couple of weeks ago we did not see Cappy for several days. We were worried. At first we didn’t want to talk about it, but then we both ‘fessed up. 

“This isn’t like him,” Craig said.

“No, it’s not,” I replied. “She’s never been away this long.”

Then, one afternoon, he just showed right back up where she belongs, waiting in the shade for us to come home from somewhere.

As, we hope, she will be when we return in the fall to San Pancho, our home and his.

'Bye, Cappy. Pat, pat.

 

Comments

[Travis]

Maaaaaaan you had me worried toward the end, especially since you started it out, ¨We have to say goodbye to our dog.¨Uhhhhhhh….where are you going_ when are you going_ and what´s going on with my keyboard that I can´t make a question mark_

[Sheri]

I love those hose doggie and kitty friends I have made in San Pancho, they are always glad to see you when you get back. Or at least the meaty treats... Bon Voyage!! Enjoy your Summer vacation!!! Can't wait to read all about it!