I was making the bed yesterday and didn't notice my 11 year-old dog Whimsey lying half under the skirt at the foot of the bed. Consequently I stumbled over her and without a moment's thought apologized to her for my clumsiness. She eyed me disdainfully for a moment and then lowered her head to the floorboards to resume her snooze.
Later I pondered this exchange. We Canadians have often been accused of being an overly polite bunch, but was this really a case of my national identity leaking through? Or was it because I have anthropomorphized my pet to the degree that I believe a humble apology is entirely within reason in situations where I have clearly breached the social contract between us? ie. I feed her, she doesn't bite me, etc.
But what about when she raids the cat's litter box and then, like a child who's just raided the cookie jar, jogs down the hall to the livingroom carpet trailing crumbs of evidence? I feel entirely justified in informing her just how disgusting a habit I find this. And do you think I ever get an apology? There I am sweeping up the mess and shouting my indignation while she lies down to watch, paws crossed contently, licking her lips.
We both know who has the upper hand in this relationship, and it isn't me.
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