ALONE TIME

How often have we enjoyed the antics that are adorable on a 2 year old but when those antics are seen on the same child three years later, they are no longer deemed cute.

Once you laughed out loud when the toddlers would stamp their little feet and firmly say “NO” to you. Now when they do that, you are shaking your head wondering how did they become little brats? Actually they did so with adult blessings.

Ok, I don't have children of the two legged variety, just the 4 legged ones. They too became obnoxious brats, also with my blessings. What I once thought was so cute and endearing, I now sometimes find a bit troublesome. What I am talking about here is pet bathroom devotion.

It starts when your little foot for foot creatures follow you everywhere. Bathroom is no exception. At first, since you are sitting there with not much to occupy your mind, you drop your hand and caress a set of furry ears. You stroke a back and smooth chin whiskers without conscious thought. Those little beggars quickly get hooked on your undivided attention.

When this action morphs from amusing to intrusive is not clear. It took years for me but eventually it did. I think the annoying aspect accelerates if you have more than one animal. I have three and my toilet times are often a furry mob scene. That is the time for my 3 pets to whine, purr, rub on my legs, swat and push each other. It is a very competitive, active time.

Sometimes I just really want to concentrate on the job at hand or maybe I want to plan my day. I possibly just need some quiet, head clearing time. My trips to that little room make my house come alive with activity as all 12 legs frantically head for that room with me, each trying to be the first one there.

I have yet to learn how they immediately know when I get up, what my destination is. Not only do they instantly know where I am going, but why. If I am merely going to the bathroom to brush my teeth or comb my hair and put on lipstick, no one moves. They just seem to know when I will be a captive audience. Maybe it is the way I walk.

Suppose I could be stern and banish them by simply shutting the door but if I were capable of that, I wouldn't be writing this. I am and always will be a push over. While I do accept the situation, nothing says I have to like it every time. Every now and then I just want a peaceful, contemplative, uncomplicated time.

Now they have no interest when I bathe. Who wants a wet hand on your head? However, I once had a little Pekineses that was obsessed with my bathing habits. He was a total pervert. He would watch me bathe, snorting and drooling the whole time while ogling me with his bug eyes.

I would often sneak into the bathroom just in time to shut the door before he could get there. However, since there was about an inch and a half gap between floor and door, he would mash his face to the floor and one bug eye would watch me from that gap. Ok, that was a bit weird but it did make me laugh.

Today I have three animals whose only interest is to be petted. I have a very small bathroom so I often leave the door open thus I am never alone. They not only follow me in but they push and shove each other vying for attention.

So when I am out and about and use a public restroom you would think I might enjoy the peace and lack of attention. Sadly no. I sit in those metal stalls and find my self with my hand dropped below my knee waiting for those furry ears that never come. I am well trained and yes, busted. Ninety nine percent of the time, I enjoy the attention.

I can only caution you not to create this habit unless you really ALWAYS want attention for though it is most often quite pleasurable to mindlessly massage ears while waiting, there are those times when it would just be nice to be alone.




Below is a re-creation of this daily event.



Ah, hello---I am here, lets start with the ear rubs all ready.

Mighty and Micky jockeying for position on left while Minnie is polishing my pant leg on the right.