I recently got back from a vacation in Wyoming, where my family lives. Daytona went with me and enjoyed herself immensely. In fact, she was much settled and relaxed than she was a year ago. But despite her maturity, Daytona would still jump on top of Mom's new couch and scratch upon occasion. We kept a squirt bottle handy for these occasions, which Mom would normally be the one to use it.

One day, through some stroke of luck I was the one that had to squirt her when she tried scratching the couch. I hit her square in the butt (the "bullseye," according to Dad.) She jumped off the couch, then glared at me. She cleaned off the water, then glared at me. She walked to the chair where Mom was sitting, then glared at me. She jumped up on Mom's lap, then glared at me. She curled up in Mom's lap, then glared at me.

You don't suppose she was mad at me, do you?

Copyright © Karen Hooper
June 28, 2001