Bruce Beckham's Blog - Posts Tagged "labradoodle"
Writer's Dog
They say you can’t write in a vacuum – but neither can you write when your other half is on the phone to her mother – or the kids are practising hockey in the hall – or with a dozen other distractions that drive you to seek solitude.
Dog to the rescue.
This most efficient machine for removing grated cheese from the kitchen floor is not only humankind’s best friend – but he (in my case, he) is also the writer’s best friend.
Yes, he’s my excuse to escape into the woods for a couple of hours – but there’s more – much more. There’s his exceptional ability to sniff out characters and events for my stories.
WITHOUT DOG. I notice I am ignored, or worse, treated with suspicion. I can tell what they’re thinking. Who’s the weirdo with the giant fishing umbrella? Is that a laptop in that rucksack – is he a cat burglar? A serial killer? (It’s a fair cop – at least, I might be thinking about one.)
WITH DOG. Suddenly everyone stops to talk. What is he, a Cockerpoo? – no, Australian Labradoodle – bit chunkier, you’ll notice – more ball-obsessed. Is he really called Noodles? – well, actually I call him Dude – would you shout Noodles? – and on it goes like this for a little while – perhaps that’s where it ends.
But next time – Hey, Noodles! How’s it going, man? You wouldn’t believe what happened to me last week. Murder, assault, car crash, pickpocketing, infidelity, divorce, fraud, shoplifting, inheritance... it all comes flooding out – and I hardly know the person!
When finally I can get a word in, I say – nice weather – dry – easy-clean day for the dog. They go: aye, so it is. See you later, Noodles.
Surreptitiously I reach for my notebook.
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
Dog to the rescue.
This most efficient machine for removing grated cheese from the kitchen floor is not only humankind’s best friend – but he (in my case, he) is also the writer’s best friend.
Yes, he’s my excuse to escape into the woods for a couple of hours – but there’s more – much more. There’s his exceptional ability to sniff out characters and events for my stories.
WITHOUT DOG. I notice I am ignored, or worse, treated with suspicion. I can tell what they’re thinking. Who’s the weirdo with the giant fishing umbrella? Is that a laptop in that rucksack – is he a cat burglar? A serial killer? (It’s a fair cop – at least, I might be thinking about one.)
WITH DOG. Suddenly everyone stops to talk. What is he, a Cockerpoo? – no, Australian Labradoodle – bit chunkier, you’ll notice – more ball-obsessed. Is he really called Noodles? – well, actually I call him Dude – would you shout Noodles? – and on it goes like this for a little while – perhaps that’s where it ends.
But next time – Hey, Noodles! How’s it going, man? You wouldn’t believe what happened to me last week. Murder, assault, car crash, pickpocketing, infidelity, divorce, fraud, shoplifting, inheritance... it all comes flooding out – and I hardly know the person!
When finally I can get a word in, I say – nice weather – dry – easy-clean day for the dog. They go: aye, so it is. See you later, Noodles.
Surreptitiously I reach for my notebook.
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
