Between 10 And 2

I know it's Tuesday. I've known it all day. I don't have the wherewithal for 10 Things, though. Let me share a couple of real, honest-to-goodness conversations I had today.

1. I followed a woman across the courtyard and into my building. She fumbled with the key and then dropped something and pushed it around with her toe before bending to pick it up and getting out of the doorway so I could pass.

I live directly above the laundry room. The door to that is right next to the main entrance.

Once Mrs. Fumblefingers and I got into the lobby she looked out at a woman sitting on a bench in the courtyard. As I got my mail she said, "Why she doing her clothes out there like that?"

I've run into plenty of people not cooking with a full set of utensils so I, still trying to be neighborly, replied, "It's hot out and there's more room. Some people just like that." I anticipated a short rant about pollen and chalk dust on khakis.

"I've got clients coming."

You see, my building may look like the gulag circa 1982 but the units go for top dollar and the neighborhood is getting swankier by the second. Doesn't change the fact that the halls are painted with government surplus paint and the elevator routinely sticks between floors and that 8 years ago a contractor sledgehammered through the beautiful marble baseboard and it's never been fixed. So I went for it because, frankly, I don't need any new neighbors.

"Once they get into this lobby you're going to lose 'em anyway so she won't do you any harm."

2. When I first got Eddie and was doing off leash for the first time in ages (not necessarily well) I used to run into this lovely young mother and her stroller-sized boy exercising their shepherdy/houndy mix, Bliss. I hadn't seen them in a while but schedules have changed now that my dog is actually off leash.

This weekend I ran into a knot of folks with strollers and dogs on one of my mornings in the park. One lady had a hilariously rolly poly labby/pitty puppy named Serendipity. She called Eddie by name and her voice sounded wildly familiar but I was focused on getting out of there before my dog started barking the Gettysburg Address.

Two days later the penny dropped and I remembered the woman I last saw bundled in her winter gear chasing her leggy hound across the field. I let Eddie choose our route this evening and by chance we ran into the woman again and I was able to explain to her that I just hadn't made the connection. Knowing there wasn't any good way to go about it I jumped in, "Where is Bliss?"

"She's in heaven." she replied quite matter-of-factly.

She was having long seizures that were changing her personality and it was finally kinder to let her go. They've had Serendipity for almost a month.

So in honor of Bliss, cut down before she even turned two, treats for everyone, please.