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Olivia~Day Two
copyright 2002 by MAE
Wednesday
Sterling has a large teak coffee table in front of his gray-leather couch. The table is about 6’ long and 3’ wide. The underside is sectioned off into 4 diamonds I once planned to stick some sculptures on the ledges created by the sections, but I never did it, yet. Good thing. This morning I am searching all over the house for Olivia. You know how I told you about how she glues herself into corners. Well, now she has found another spot to secret herself away. Yes, she is tucked back into the triangle section of the coffee table.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that she is solid black. Well, she was. Last week a small white patch appeared on her right shoulder. That is how I found her. Her white patch glimmered in the morning light.
Sometimes I think her prayer is to cease to exist. With that black fur she almost pulls it off.
It’s raining. Pearl has been out already. Olivia won’t come to me, so I have to pick her up. She is not skinny. She is going to be a big dog, both ways. Her belly is round and very solid, hard as a steel culvert.
I take her to the kitchen and place her on the floor while I slip on my clear-vinyl slicker. I don’t have to worry about Olivia running off like most dogs would. This dog stays glued in any spot you place her. She won’t move for at least an hour if I leave her, but right now is backyard time.
“It’s not the words you use, it’s how you say it.” Someone one told me that. I agree, in part. I believe every word IS important and selection should be taken with care. Although I have a tendency to just say whatever pops into my head. One day I will be better. Even more important is the way you say things. The intonation. If I say Olivia with a smile on my face it comes out differently from if I say it with a frown face. Try it! There are millions of intonations. I think Livi heard her name many times said in a gritty clenched-teeth way. Today I am going to only use a love voice with her. You know that girl voice women use when they talk to their boyfriends on the phone. That one. The soft, loveheart one.
If that doesn’t work I will have Sterling talk to her in his best man voice tonight. Maybe she prefers men. I guess it depends on who abused her.
Olivia hates peas. At home she eats a combo of Alpo and table scraps. Her owners asked me to keep her on the same diet. So I have. Except that Sterling and I had seafood for the past two nights. I cooked up hamburgers and pork chops for Liv. She likes au gratin potatoes.
