Sometimes, things are not what they seem...
Nov 7, 2015 21:43:51 GMT -8
ron, lynxlady, and 1 more like this
Post by Dan on Nov 7, 2015 21:43:51 GMT -8
Sugar gets out of bed at 4:30 AM, and I get up around 9:30... It's the life we live, she works days, I work swing. It's been that way for 20 plus years. She and I are ships that pass in the night. A daily sleepy kiss, and an empty house. It's the life we chose, and part of the deal. No regrets.
But, we have a kitten. Bella sleeps on our feet for the four hours we are in bed together. She gets up with Sug, watches intently while Sugar puts on her makeup, work costume, and heads off to the corporate world. As soon as Sugar leaves, My Little Girl comes back to bed. Bella curls up on my feet for a bit, maybe an hour or so. Then, she gets "pokey". Her right front foot is not formed quite right. We call it her Thalidomide Foot, it's kind of a birth defect. It's smaller and a bit malformed. When she walks, that foot is always out in front, and inline with her left front. Picture a Victorias Secret model going down the runway. The right is always preceding the left, and walking a tight rope. The right is directly and perfectly inline with the left. That thalidomide foot is also kind of like an elephants trunk as well. When she is laying down, it's always the first appendage to come out to touch, feel, and grab. It's an extension of Bella, almost like an added limb she uses to touch, feel, play and explore.
That Elephant Trunk Thalidomide Foot, pretty much every morning, an hour after Sugar goes off into the corporate world, starts poking me in the face. Usually around 7:00. Now, my 7:00 AM is most folks 4:00 AM, I've been asleep around three hours at that point, it's the middle of the night for me. Sometimes, I just push Bella away. Sometimes, I build a pillow dam around my head. Sometimes I turn over, and bury my head under the covers. And yes, sometimes I yell at My Little Girl, and tell her to leave me alone, and let me go back to sleep. Bad Dad.
Then, a few weeks ago...
Same schedule for Sug & me. Same schedule for Scooter and Jenny. This morning, however, I didn't have to go to work. So, when the Elephant Trunk Thalidomide Foot started poking at my face, I didn't complain like I usually do, and push Bella away. I let her keep poking, but kept a sleepy eye open. And she kept at it...
Turns out she wasn't just poking to get me up. She was, petting me. That little elephant trunk thalidomide foot isn't all that coordinated. It started with a poke, first with the soft paw, then ever then so gently and tentatively, she began to stroke my forehead, and then my cheek. Then, she turned the paw over, soft furry side down, and caressed my neck. She was petting me! Purring and rolling around and petting me! Bella was like, "Hey Dad, I know you like to pet me, and I love it. So, I'm returning the favor. I know you had a bad shift. I'm here for you, and I'll use my little elephant trunk foot to pet you. I know I'm not as good as you are at it, but damnit, I know you had a bad day, and I'm not giving upI"
I. Kid.You. Not.
Sometimes, things are not what they seem. Especially with a DLX...
But, we have a kitten. Bella sleeps on our feet for the four hours we are in bed together. She gets up with Sug, watches intently while Sugar puts on her makeup, work costume, and heads off to the corporate world. As soon as Sugar leaves, My Little Girl comes back to bed. Bella curls up on my feet for a bit, maybe an hour or so. Then, she gets "pokey". Her right front foot is not formed quite right. We call it her Thalidomide Foot, it's kind of a birth defect. It's smaller and a bit malformed. When she walks, that foot is always out in front, and inline with her left front. Picture a Victorias Secret model going down the runway. The right is always preceding the left, and walking a tight rope. The right is directly and perfectly inline with the left. That thalidomide foot is also kind of like an elephants trunk as well. When she is laying down, it's always the first appendage to come out to touch, feel, and grab. It's an extension of Bella, almost like an added limb she uses to touch, feel, play and explore.
That Elephant Trunk Thalidomide Foot, pretty much every morning, an hour after Sugar goes off into the corporate world, starts poking me in the face. Usually around 7:00. Now, my 7:00 AM is most folks 4:00 AM, I've been asleep around three hours at that point, it's the middle of the night for me. Sometimes, I just push Bella away. Sometimes, I build a pillow dam around my head. Sometimes I turn over, and bury my head under the covers. And yes, sometimes I yell at My Little Girl, and tell her to leave me alone, and let me go back to sleep. Bad Dad.
Then, a few weeks ago...
Same schedule for Sug & me. Same schedule for Scooter and Jenny. This morning, however, I didn't have to go to work. So, when the Elephant Trunk Thalidomide Foot started poking at my face, I didn't complain like I usually do, and push Bella away. I let her keep poking, but kept a sleepy eye open. And she kept at it...
Turns out she wasn't just poking to get me up. She was, petting me. That little elephant trunk thalidomide foot isn't all that coordinated. It started with a poke, first with the soft paw, then ever then so gently and tentatively, she began to stroke my forehead, and then my cheek. Then, she turned the paw over, soft furry side down, and caressed my neck. She was petting me! Purring and rolling around and petting me! Bella was like, "Hey Dad, I know you like to pet me, and I love it. So, I'm returning the favor. I know you had a bad shift. I'm here for you, and I'll use my little elephant trunk foot to pet you. I know I'm not as good as you are at it, but damnit, I know you had a bad day, and I'm not giving upI"
I. Kid.You. Not.
Sometimes, things are not what they seem. Especially with a DLX...
