Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

I love the last post Steve wrote: Bus Stop, Columbus, OH because to me, it so clearly demonstrates the difference between Steve and I.  One of the differences anyway.

I'm driving along in city traffic when I see a man sitting on a bench, his old dog curled up beside him.  The man happens to be wearing a gorilla mask with rainbow colored hair.  It's December 21st.  I snicker, describe what I see to Steve and say "what do you suppose that's about?"  Neither one of us was feeling particularly communicative that morning and so not much else was said.  Now we all know what was swirling around inside Steve's head, thanks to his post. 

Ask Steve "what 'cha thinking?" and that is the kind of response you'll get.  Me?  I'm thinking about the bills that need to be paid.  Or I'm doing a mental inventory, pulling together ingredients we might  have in the cupboard, since I forgot to pull dinner out of the freezer.  What uninspired dinner can I come up with before I have to run off for bell choir practice?  (I really need to visit the Bibliochef's blog, Cooking With Ideas, more often.)  Steve writes poetry.  I sort socks.  Steve asks me what I'm thinking and I grumble: why can't anyone else in this family use socks lox?

Sometimes I kid myself and think well Steve has time for all these thoughts because he's not visually distracted.  What else is he going to do but think deep thoughts while I'm watching for traffic and errant gorillas?   But that's not it  I know.   Lance Mannion thinks like Steve, and Lance is as sighted as I am.  I wonder what thoughts would have been swirling around in his head had he seen this pink and purple haired gorilla sitting there quietly on the bench.  Lance?  What 'cha thinking?  Me, I'm thinking the dogs need grooming and the poop needs scooping.  I'm sure Lance would be too, if he had a dog.  Instead he thinks deep thoughts.

In my defense, I did have time for one quick thought regarding that gorilla and his dog before I was so rudely cut off by another driver.  (See what I mean?  I'd been visually stimulated and was now managing a mild case of road rage while Steve was deep in thought over "a missing character from Kurt Vonnegut's 'Breakfast of Champions' ".) 

Back to my thought.  OK, it's not deep.  But I was marveling at how odd and at the same time, how very sweet that scene was.  This was a drive-by so I can't speak for accuracy, but this is what I saw in my mind's eye.  There were other people standing around and waiting as well.  The dog was older.  A mixed beagle type.  He was curled up in a ball on the center of the bench and looked to be in a deep sleep, the kind of deep sleep you find homeless people in cardboard boxes in.  It looked as if gorilla and dog had been there a while.  Fortunately it was an unseasonably warm December morning.  His gorilla friend was stage right, sitting comfortably on the end of the bench, legs crossed.  He was looking off to his left, as if waiting for the bus that might not ever come.  He looked as content as any rainbow haired gorilla could look under the circumstances.  It was his right hand, resting gently on the sleeping dog's back that really caught my eye.  This kind gorilla was not in any hurry.  He looked as if he was willing to sit there quietly on that bench for as long as his little dog needed.  I'll bet the gorilla had no intention of catching a bus.  He was just letting the sleeping dog lie...

Comments

[Georgia Whitney]

I usually start my mornings with a half hour meditation. The best part of it is that my dog Uma is usually on the sofa with me, asleep, snoring softly. It's the one time of day I manage to stop worrying about sorting socks and missing characters in books.

I tend not to wear my gorilla mask.

It's the best part of my day.

[Connie]

When I was in high school I'd sit and play the piano for hours. Casey, our little terrier mutt, would hop up on the bench next to me, curl up, and sleep.

My sister revealed to me not too long ago that Casey would howl when she sat down to play!

Georgia, are you practicing TM by any chance? I used to but it's been a long time now. I probably should....

[Jennifer]

I loved both this post and the one before... I often think it would be nice if we could just spend a minute in the other person's head... just to get an idea of the depth, the variety of thoughts going on there.

I have been on both sides, the side lost in tangents and narratives and the side based in the immediate reality of the moment.

[Georgia Whitney]

I did TM about a million years ago, and I still use it intermittently. I also do pranayama breathing. Mainly I just try to be quiet and listen to what the universe is saying to me.

I have not asked Uma what her practice involves. Whatever it is, she has it down pat.

[blue girl]

Great post, Connie.

[Connie]

Thanks for your comments ladies...

[bibliochef]

The value of pause -- it is very hard to find -- and it seems to take time from the list I have in my head of what needs to get done. My question for the day, today, is what is the relation between what needs to be done and what I want to get done and the possibility that I might not only have the opportunity to think but be required to do so. Hmmm.