Is it Monday, Yet?

Hey, Rubin? Why did you title your post that? You know it’s Friday.

Well, I was hoping it was Monday so that all the photographs and all the writing I’ve been doing could get posted. I mean, isn’t that when the cable company is coming to fix the problem?

Hopefully.

What do you mean, hopefully?

Well, it might not be the cable company’s problem. It might be something else.

Like what, aliens?

No, it could be the computer or the modem or the cables in our house.

Can they fix that?

I don’t know. We have to be patient and just wait and see.

I’m not good at that.

You’ve gotten better.

Wait. Aren’t you supposed to say, “You’re very patient, Rubin. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

I could, but that wouldn’t exactly be the truth now would it?

Are you saying I’m impatient?

You said you were impatient and I agreed, but said you were getting better.

That doesn’t make me feel very good.

Oh, Rubin. I know you’re frustrated about the computer. I know it’s hard not to do your job well, but sometimes there are things just out of our control.

Like when I get fed?

Yes, I suppose that is out of your control though lately you’ve been so interested in food you’ve given me that look.

What look?

The one that says you’re a starving neglected dog and if someone doesn’t fill your bowl you’ll fade away to nothing.

Now I’m impatient AND demanding. How can you stand to live with me?

You’re being overly dramatic, Rubin. You’re actually a fairly easy dog. Except with the crows.

Always an exception, eh?

You have to admit those crows get under your skin.

That’s because they’re big, bad pests.

Technically, they aren’t pests?

Okay, but they’re loud and they mock me from the fence swooping down to caw at me from the edge of the porch.

That’s just their nature.

And a nasty nature it is.

But if you ignored them, they’d most likely go away. They stay because they know they can get you to chase and bark at them.

And what a fine job I do of that!

The neighbors don’t really appreciate it, though.

Really? I think they should thank me.

At 6:30 in the morning, I don’t think they’re interested in thanking you for barking.

Oh.

It’s okay. We’ll keep working on your impulse control.

I’ll add that to my list.

What list?

The same one that has impatient and demanding on it; now I can add impulsive.

You really are bent out of shape about this whole computer thing, aren’t you?

Yeah, I guess I am. I don’t like to feel so incomplete when I’m doing my job.

Everyone understands, buddy.

Do they? Do they really?

Sure. They know there are technical problems that arise and that everything doesn’t run as smoothly as we’d like.

You can say that again. It feels like there’s always something that gets in the way of the day running smoothly.

Little things really. I mean, compared to the problems that could arise, our day only has a few bumps, don’t you think?

Yeah, but this computer problem feels like a big bump and I don’t like big bumps.