With Oli Anything Can Happen

Oli and the socks that immortalize his breed. 

When you have Oli as a friend and roommate, anything can happen. Take last night. I'm lying in bed, feeling warm and snug when my almost three-year-old shaggy, white furred cotton-de-telour decided to start puttering around, showing all the signs that he needed a bathroom break. So I get up and see that my iPad reports that is 4 a.m. I sleep-walk to my hall closet to stuff my feet into my rubber boots and my arms into my winter jacket and clip on Oli's leash. I throw open the front door to hear the nocturnal cries of coyotes filling the air. Oli and I stand frozen in place, both of us puzzling over the dilemma facing us. Do we go out into the night and face whatever predator is lurking out there or do we forget the whole thing and just go back to bed and see what the consequences are? The coyote cries stop so we venture into the silent and dark neighborhood. I was hoping Oli would just do his business around the house's perimeter but that was foolish because he never does that. We have to wander down neighborhood streets and sniff around grass medians before he'll consider doing anything. Oli finally relieved himself and we scurried back home. Oli didn't immediately nestle back down for the night, which was my clue that something probably wasn't right. He meander upstairs before pawing open the bedroom door. It wasn't too long after that he vomited on my duvet. My brand-new duvet that I got for Christmas and the cover I bought a few months ago with its charming mushroom pattern. I grabbed Kleenex to wipe the vomit and then shucked the duvet off the bed to spray it with stain remover and cram  it in my washer. I thought about immediately starting the laundry machine but then Oli and I would have to endure the grinding of the machine at 5 a.m. So it would have to wait till later in the morning. I laid back down, pouting. It wasn't Oli's fault and I wasn't mad at him but I was mad at all the other events of the night that led to a sleepless few hours. But morning came and everything got washed and miraculously, the vomit vanished. Sometimes I day dream about moving into a home with a fenced backyard. How easy and different it would be. I wouldn't have to go outside with Oli every time he needed to empty his bowels and Oli wouldn't have to be wary of being eaten by a coyote or a bear or anything else. It could be so unproblematic but I suppose also kind of boring. After all, walk down the right path with Oli by your side and anything can happen.