I like to buy “The Girls” presents from time to time.

Maxine, Frances, and Ollie… that is. The thing about buying something for them is seeing the shear jubilation that erupts from their little spirits when they are presented with such a gift.

Humans are gracious. They nod, smile, and say “Thank You” politely. But dogs…. they receive gifts with reckless abandon. They jump, and bark, and wag, and drool.   Dogs  become completely engulfed with excitement.  And all over a plastic bone.

The other day I went out and bought them each a little something. For Frances… I picked out a stuffed squirrel, for obvious reasons. Maxine got a chicken. She likes to bark at the a little group of Street Chickens that have found their way to Downtown Charleston. And finally, for Ollie…. a stuffed pink pig. I picked out the pig for Ollie because it seemed like just the right toy for our little girl.

Of course, all three dogs were crazy for their new cohorts. But Ollie. Oh Ollie. She loved her little pig. For three days she carried it with her religiously. She would barely set it aside. She slept with it… cavorted with it.. ran through the house with it. The little pig became her constant companion.

And then. This morning…. something terrible happened. It was bad. Yes, something transpired between Ollie and her little pig.

I have no idea how the disagreement began, what it may have entailed, or even who may have started it. But the argument and altercation that ensued was one of major proportions. Paramount dimensions.

All I know for sure is…. Ollie turned on the pig.

I asked France what might have happened. She said there was something said about Ollie’s curly tail…. and then Ollie called the pig a real boar. Then they started doing Karate and the pork chops were flying…

Same question went to Max. She thought they were doing some sort of Living Room Theatre Production of “The Three Little Pigs” and Ollie got a little carried away in her role as the Big Bad Wolf.

Finally, I asked Ollie. She is not talking. However, she has displayed more than her fair share of remorse throughout the day. In fact, she went to bed very early this evening.  You know…. I really think she is mourning that pig.

“You cannot prevent the ‘Pigs of Sadness’ from walking on your farm.  But you can prevent their making a mudhole outside of your barn.” – Old Chinese Proverb

Okay… so I made up tonight’s quote… but what do you say about a dead stuffed pig?