Thursday, March 18, 2010
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Thursday, March 18, 2010 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
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Fielder’s Choice Josie joins household Call me crazy. Andy and Erin had been pushing for a puppy for many weeks. We discovered a mouse in the house. I told the family, “Hey, let’s get a cat.” “No, a puppy,” was the quick response. I kept holding off and holding off – hoping the wish would all go away. Sunday, we drove east on Highway 78 to pick up Erin, who had spent the weekend with my family in Alabama. Emma was on her way home from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg for spring break. After getting Erin, we decided to hang out in Tupelo and wait on Emma, so someone could ride with her from Tupelo to Holly Springs. She had been to Atlanta, Ga., for the weekend to see a musical and we knew she had to be very tired. I had told Pam not to mention the Tupelo Flea Market. But as most of you men well know, wives don’t always listen very well. We drove to the flea market, where among other things, puppies are always for sale. We roamed around the first big building. Pam, Andy and Erin saw some puppies they liked. I just kind of kept my distance, except to notice the price tags. Andy had a favorite from building number one and so did Erin. Then, being the kind husband and father, I asked a lady up front, “What is in the other building?” “The same kind of stuff, but more animals,” she replied. We moved to building number two. We looked and looked and talked to several of the vendors. I learned very quickly, checking out the sellers is as important as checking out the puppies themselves. Pam fell in love with a poodle. I couldn’t believe it. But finally, we decided to go back to the first building and look again at a black “Morkie” – part Maltese and part Yorkie – that Andy had fallen in love with. While there, just before the flea market closed, another family walked up, asked to pick up the “Morkie” and in a few minutes the man was writing a check. But we also had our eyes on a chubby little puppy. I asked to pick it up. That was a mistake. The nice couple from the Corinth area who had raised the puppies called this one a “Shug” – meaning it is part Shih Tzu and part Pug. We debated and asked many questions, all the while with the pretty-eyed puppy snuggling against my chest. A young boy was waiting – apparently hoping we would put it back. “Let’s get her,” Andy said. Under pressure, it’s hard to turn down two wonderful kids and a loving wife, plus I was starting to like the puppy myself. After buying the female “Shug,” who we named “Josie,” we dropped Andy off at the mall so he could wait on Emma. It’s wonderful having Emma home for a week. We miss her greatly, but she’s loving the college life and USM. And so far it’s OK having a puppy around the house – except for the house training and the whining. Don’t call me crazy. Call me softie. It seems we always give in to our children, particularly when you’re proud of them and they deserve something special. |
     
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