Delilah

My rambunctious girl canine is a dynamic amalgamation between a rabid honey badger and a lucid rag doll. Don’t even consider entering her domaine if you are unbeknownst to her or you may rapidly retreat minus a needed digit or two. The most minuscule sound of anything foreign sends her, fresh out of slumber, into a feverish bolt to the window for immediate evaluation. Eyes lit with Hades fury and her fawn locks spiked along her rigid back, she dares you to enter. Short, frantic barks fused with guttural snarls pierce the silence as she stomps on the battered window sill. A simple, “It’s ok Delilah” sparks a rapid over the shoulder glance as she awaits my window arrival. The tirade continues until either she’s deemed the disturbance a wolf cry or I have given her reassurance that all is well. Then, as quickly as it began, she descends her window throne to resume her listless languor. As I pass moments later, her droopy eyelids struggle open uncovering sleepy, twinkling pools of molten chocolate thus forcing an obligatory halt stop and consequential love-in. An hourglass of white, set against a black muzzle and mask, a pink nose, and a brown crown, turns towards me and I melt. Her 75 pounds feels more like 175 as she goes limp while I pick her up. She becomes living origami allowing herself to be folded and shaped into whatever configuration feels best in the moment. This time, snow white belly up in my arms. Her head draped over my shoulder. Heaven.