The Hummer shot appears above, our conversation below:
Me: Thanks Scout, is that stick for me?
Scout: Sure is.
Me: Maybe you could put it back in the woodpile now and bring it back in November when we could use it in the fireplace.
Scout: Fire hydrant!! Where? Where?
Me: No, no – I said fireplace – I know Human is your second language and it can be very challenging …
Scout: (Adopting a most serious, scholarly air) all languages that are not your native tongue can be very complicated. Did you know that, Franz Boas, the anthropologist who visited the Inuit people in northern Canada in the 1880s, claimed these folks had dozens of words for snow?
Me: Actually, I had heard that – also heard there was some controversy around that claim.
Scout: No, it’s actually true, once you understand how polysynthesis works, attaching prefixes and suffixes to root words …
Me: Let’s back up a little – what’s your point?
Scout: You know of course that language develops dynamically to suit the needs and ideas that are most vital to its users – people in the Artic need to know the difference between ice that is safe to walk on or whether you’ll sink through it …
Me: You’ve been busy my computer, I see? And thank you for the photo of the Hummingbird.
Scout: Katie taught me how to Google. But here’s my real point: do you know how many different woofs we have to describe a fire hydrant?
Me: Now I know why I’ve been seeing so many ads for dog treats and chew toys …
Scout: Wish I had my own credit card …
Me: This conversation is descending, appropriately, into doggerel …
Scout: Just trying to distract you a little. You do spend way too much time on the computer. Reading, over and over again, about all the terrible things that have happened, as well following all the pundits who’re predicting all the negative things that will happen.
Me: It’s important to keep up to date and be prepared to make the changes necessary to improve things.
Scout: Of course, but I think you’re barking up the wrong tree – can you change the past, or predict the future?
Me: No but we need to learn from the past, and plan for the future.
Scout: You know how many words we have in Dog for the past or for the future? Our canine etymologists will tell you – we four legged friends never developed a need for the fine points of time – going back or forward, I mean.
Me: You all do tend to take everything in stride, don’t you? Once heard someone say: Handle every situation like a dog. If you can’t eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away.
Scout: A bit crude and not entirely on point here.
Me: How about: “You can trust your dog to guard your house but never trust your dog to guard your sandwich.”
Scout: Well if one lives only in the moment, it would be difficult to know who made the sandwich in the past, and for whom it was intended.
Me: Hmnnh. I’ll give that a little thought – as much as it appears to deserve.
Scout: Sometimes Humans can be a little dense. I’ll spell it out: Don’t you think if you spent a little more time being present in the moment, you might be a little smarter to learn from what has happened, and a little stronger to deal with what may happen?
Me: Perhaps, but what does all this have to do with the Hummingbird you sent me?
Scout: How many Human time hours did you spend in the garden trying to photograph our little friend?
Me: Maybe most of an afternoon – three or four hours.
Scout: How long did it feel?
Me: I don’t know – somewhere between a minute and a week …
Scout: See – the present is timeless – were you happy? Were you worried about stuff you’ve done, or not done? Anxious about what you may have to do tomorrow or next week?
Me: Think I’m starting to get it. Thanks for the present. (Phone rings.) I better take that call. Don’t let anyone eat my sandwich on the table.
Scout: Ok. (Doggy smile)
