Popcorn!
August, 2009
Yesterday evening, I had an appointment and returned home too late to make myself a proper dinner. Feeling somewhat lazy and uninspired, I decided on a bowl of popcorn. When it comest to popcorn, Nigel and Divot go crazy. I've never known a Norwich Terrier to drool, but this is the one food that turns on the waterworks. When popping is complete, I take some out and set it aside for Nigel and Divot, carefully removing the hulls. I finished my "dinner" and put the bowl with the remaining popcorn on the kitchen island and we all settled in for the evening.
Later, as we prepared for bed, Mike took Nigel and Divot out for their final potty break, and I prepared the coffee maker for the morning. As I did my preparations, I munched on some of the leftover popcorn. Just as I popped a piece into my mouth, Nigel and Divot came bounding in the door and saw me. Of course each wanted another piece, so I obliged and off to bed we went. Usually when I put Divot on our bed, she immediately starts the nesting process on the blankets or my pillow – whichever place she had decided to hunker down for the night, but this particular evening rather than her usual routine, she sat on the edge of the bed looking expectantly at me.
As I brushed my teeth, I noticed that she was still sitting on the edge of the bed. I said, "Divie, do you need to go outside?" She did not react to my question, so I rephrased it, "Divot, do you need to go potty?" Still nothing. I placed her on the floor and said, "Okay, show me." As she trotted down the hallway, she looked back several times to make sure I was still following her. She took me right to the kitchen island and stood at the spot where the popcorn bowl was, her little nub tail wagging excitedly, with a look at that said, "That's what I want! I want more popcorn please!" I said, "You want popcorn?" She replied by a pop and spin, clearly indicating that I had guessed correctly.
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I couldn't believe that she had pieced all of this together – it was genius! I picked her up and gave her a piece of popcorn, kissed her head and asked, "Happy now?" She replied with her usual lick on my cheek and off to bed we went, her pleased that she got one more treat, me marveling at her ability to communicate with me.