Rescue Journal

"the look"

Carol  ·  Dec. 7, 2011

you know "the look"..it communicates so clearly in utter silence.

the look doesn't always say the same thing but what it does always do is share a complete and total understanding without a word being spoken.

in my lifetime, there are moments that "the look" stand as silhouetted postcards of memories of moments before.

like when i took jenn as a very small child to church one day. my dad was preaching doing summer relief at a local church in his retirement. i took the kids up for a blessing during communion....eric and lindsey were awed by the quiet magnificence of the ritual and trying very hard to appear very grown up and dignified, jenn was curious why grandpa was wearing a fancy robe. she managed to scoot around the corner to the very front of the alter and demurely kneeled like everyone else (but welll out of my reach.) as my dad gave me communion, jenn looked right at me across the corner and her clear voice rang out thru the church..."what's that?"

i gave her "the look."

eric and lindsey saw the look and immediately looked down to the floor as all good children do..jenn however took up the challenge in protest of being recipient of "the look" which she felt was undeserved...her voice rang out even louder, echoing thru the church....."what? i just wanted to know what you were eating?!"

it occurs to me that "the look" may have different meanings in different situations but it also may have both religous and culinery significance in many circumstances.

as esther and i drove into the vet yesterday...esther bestowed "the look" on the empty mcdonalds bag on my front seat. it was not the "shut the hell up" look...it was the "i really want some" look. and she kept that look focused on that bag for the entire thirty minute trip into town. i clearly heard what she was communicating to that bag..."whatcha got in there and can i please have some?"

as soon as we left the clinic, we went thru the drive thru and esther got her own new bag, with a mcmuffin in it.

she ate it pretty quickly and for the rest of the trip home, she stared at the new bag sitting empty on the front seat, giving it "the look"..." hoping and maybe even praying in her own canine way....that maybe there was more?

sadly,...the bag was not cooperative despite the intense bestowing of "the look"...kind of like jenn in church so many years ago.

Comments

suzanne

The vets think one of mine has lupus... she just turned three last month. they seem to be committed to the imuno-suppressant route and I am reasonably sure I am not committed to that at all... it's a deal with the devil for a dog as young as she is... it will keep you alive for now and as it's doing that it will take out your liver and kidneys.
How did you hit on metronidazol?

Carol Ann

My Rupert had Lupus -- around the age of 5 I insisted on antibiotics metronidazol on and off for a very long time. It cured him and he lived to be around 13. He was a rescue dog so I was never really sure of his age. The other dog at the clinic we were using went on the usual course of treatment and died.

suzanne

Carol,
Have you ever had a dog with Lupus come into your care and if so, how did it go? Thanks.

Mariette Cyr

Hello Carol,
We haven't met but I saw you working away last weekend at the farm while I was touring your place. I'm a friend of Jennifer who recently had to put Mabel and Ollie in your care. That's how I found out about you. Jennifer sent us the link to vote for Saints on the Aviva site and I'm spreading the word. As a former owner of senior cats, I truly do hope you win. You are now on my annual Xmas donation list. If there's a heaven for animals, you're it.
All the best, Mariette

laura

LOL....omg too funny! I can just picture Jenn doing that "what are you eating"....actually I think I still hear her say that to you to this day.