I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Now hear this!
Me: Okay…I am listening…Now hear what?
Stella: I don’t know. Do you hear anything?
Me: I hear you. I hear Tiger snoring. I hear the air conditioner running – I wish I didn’t. It is only early spring. I hear Moon the Cat purring. I hear Snoopey whining because Moon is talking to her. Don’t you hear all of that?
Stella: Yes. But…
Me: Do you need your ears cleaned out again?
Stella: NOOOO! NO! NO! NO! I am fine. I can hear everything. Lalalalala! You see. I heard that!
Me: Oh, come on, Stella. It’s not that big a deal. I have to clean my ears. Everybody has to every once in a while.
Stella: My ears are fine. See how cute they are, all wrinkled and tucked in. No ear issues here.
Me: Look, I only have to wipe them out with this soft cloth and…
Stella: Aaaachhh! Aaaaggghh! Aaaaahhhh. Awwwww. Okay. Well, that’s better. Mmmmm.
Me: See, you make a big deal out of nothing.
Stella: My ears are a big deal.
Me: You should take care of them then.
Stella: No, YOU should take care of them then.
Me: Hey, I am trying to, but I am getting serious resistance.
Stella: Resistance from whom?
Me: Stella! From you!
Stella: What? That was not resistance. That was me being bulldoggy. When are you going to accept that I am a bulldog and I will act like a bulldog all the time? Let me be me.
Me: Okay. And let me be me.
Stella: What?
Me: Let me clean your ears without a fight.
Stella: Nope. Not possible. That would be wrong, plain wrong.
Me: even if I talk like this
Stella: What? What are you saying? I can’t hear…oh, clever. Whispering. Trying to make me think my ears are clogged.
Me: Keep your ears open, Stella. We all need to hear what is going on.
Stella: Are you going to clean my nose out next?
Me: If you need me to…
Stella: NOOOO! Nose is fine!
Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.