As You Wish

 “What is it, Lassie? What’s happened?! What? Over at the Harrington Place? A fire? Ok, Girl! We’ll go get the sheriff. Good Girl!” Together Timmy and Lassie race to help put out the dangerous fire raging on the other side of the mountain.

Timmy & Lassie, Shaggy & Scooby, Charlie Brown and Snoopy--there is no end to the legends that are born from a boy’s relationship with his dog.

This past weekend another famous duo, “Gary Bird & Dharma Dog” (and I) made a visit to the Larson house in Spring Valley, where Kaye Bird’s sister, Nina, introduced us to their new “grand-puppy”. “Buttercup” (as in Princess Buttercup from The Princess Bride) is an 8 week old cocker spaniel. She doesn’t know it yet but she is going to grow up to be a gorgeous dog. Most of her is a soft cream color, with complimenting butterscotch velvet ears and butterscotch freckles on her muzzle. Her person is Elliot, who is eleven years old. Even though she has only lived with him for a day at the time of this writing, she seems to know he is hers, just the way that the original Princess Buttercup felt about Wesley.

I entered the house and was led to the family room where I found Elliot and Buttercup cozied up on the sofa. I politely asked Elliot if I could sit alongside them. Buttercup, who had been snoozing in Elliot’s arms, opened one eye, yawned and peered out at me with suspicion. Carefully Elliot passed Buttercup over to me to hold. She brushed my face with her tickly velveteen whiskers and gave me a good sniff. I knew she had given me the seal of approval when she began to lick my nose—Puppy Breath! There is no better smell than puppy breath.

Of course introductions had to be made with Dharma and her new cousin as well. Unsure of what it was I was holding in my arms, Dharma stepped forward curiously to get a good whiff. Then, with a slightly alarmed look on her face, she turned tail and trotted out of the room. Buttercup, for her part, seemed to think Dharma was a giant about to eat her, and wasn’t at all pleased. Later on we all went out into the yard and the two coexisted comfortably for the rest of the visit.

I keep thinking that I was so lucky to witness this remarkable day in the lives of both Elliot and Buttercup. These two will bond, a boy and his dog. This is the Magic Time in Elliot’s life, those years after the age of eight or nine, but before adolescence. I’m reminded of Beverly Cleary’s character from the Ramona & Beezus books, Henry Huggins (who is also eleven years old), and his dog Ribsy. Ribsy goes everywhere with Henry, running after him on his bike, getting into trouble, helping him do his paper route. They are inseparable. Elliot will be teaching Buttercup to sit, stay, shake, and play all of the games that boys play with their dogs. As the years go on, Buttercup will be waiting each afternoon for Elliot to arrive home from school, the highlight of her day. They will swim together, camp together, sleep together, explore together. When he finally enters high school, she will still be agile and energetic. When he goes off to college, Buttercup will enjoy her own retirement with Elliot’s parents, spending her hours napping on the couch.

As I sat out on the lawn with Elliot and Buttercup, I leaned over and grabbed a little stick that had fallen from a nearby tree. Buttercup was immediately interested. I held it out to her and she took it like a Christmas gift, trotting on her tiny legs, showing it off to Elliot. Elliot gently took the other end of the stick. Instinctively Buttercup pulled on her end. Tug-of-War ensued, and my presence was forgotten by the two of them. I stood up, and with my cell phone, took some video footage of their playtime together. Then I left them to it and joined the adults for coffee on the patio. So did Dharma.

When we were about to head home a half hour later, I again found Elliot and Buttercup on the sofa, in the same positions they were in when I first entered the house, Buttercup sound asleep, hanging over Elliot’s folded arms, limp as a noodle, exhausted from her first extended family visit. I could not help imagining how the years will fly by, where this precious, gentle boy will grow up with his loyal pup, who will love him unconditionally and be an integral part of molding Elliot’s love for life and living things, as well as teaching him responsibility and sacrifice, much the same as Wesley’s famous quote “As You Wish” when expressing his commitment to Princess Buttercup. I have absolute confidence that Elliot will do just fine as Buttercup’s Person. He is a lucky, lucky boy to have her. And he knows it. Like Lassie & Timmy and Henry & Ribsy, Buttercup & Elliot are certain to become our own local legends.