Told You So, Fido

     It happened exactly as I feared.  I took my aging dog for an extended walk this beautiful autumn afternoon, to a place by the river where we hadn't been in a while. I was both sad and glad to see that Garth wasn't attempting to follow his accustomed path down the six foot high bank to the water because I knew he wasn't strong enough to climb the steep path back up.  I thought Garth knew that too.  I was wrong.  After he had enjoyed his drink and swim he got out on the bank, looked at the slope, then went back into the water.  I think he was attempting with all the unsubtle subtlety of a dog to look casual while to tried to figure a way out of this mess.  I'm fine.  Still a little thirsty, but it's all under control.
     So I laid down at the edge of the muddy bank in the clean clothes I had put on that morning and reached down as he made yet another casual circuit into the river.  Garth is now deaf and never was very bright, but even he could not misunderstand that I wanted him to get as high as he could on the bank where I could grab him by the collar and pull him out.  Going to the water's edge myself and pushing him out was a last resort since it was very muddy and it was quite likely that I wouldn't be able to climb the steep bank either.  I had my cell phone with me, but I really didn't want to become one of the amusing law enforcement anecdotes that get published in the paper.
     Realizing his casual cover was blown, Garth finally came close enough to my outstretched hands for me to pull him up the bank.  Fortunately, since he is both deaf and a dog, I got to say the "I told you so" that I so long to say to my loved ones, but usually manage to hold in.  I stopped by the river in the first place so Garth could rest for the return trip.  He is having a hard time adjusting to the limitations of old age; I must do the adapting for him.  There is a lesson in that for me as Reed and I see our parents aging. Once again I have learned an important from a teacher who licks his privates in public.  At least dogs have the good grace never to say "I told you so".