The Obstreperous Dawg

Me: So…. Beau….

Beaumont:  Oh dear. I always get nervous when you say my name like that. What did I do this time?

Me:  Don’t be silly. Nothing. I just want to talk to you about something.

Beau:  What’s that?

Me:  Well. A friend, a big fan of yours, suggested you might want to be a little bit nicer to me.

Beau:  Do you think I’m not nice to you?

Me:  No. Of course not. You’re very nice to me.

Beau:  So if that’s the case, why are you sharing what this alleged friend of yours said.

Me:  They’re not alleged.  It’s true. That’s what they said.

Beau:  But you don’t agree. You don’t think I’m not nice to you.

Me:  Yes. True. But…

Beau:  Louise. Louise. If you don’t agree with them why share what they said?

Me:  Well… I just thought you might want to know what others are saying.

Beau:  Why would I?

Me:  Well… what if it helps you be a better dawg?

Beau:  Do I need to become a better dawg?

Me:  Oh no. Not at all. You’re great just the way you are. Though… now that you mention it…

Beau:  What?

Me:  Well… how do I put this…

Beau:  I don’t know Louise. What are you trying to put into words?

Me:  Well… you know how you don’t listen to me at the park?

Beau:  No. I don’t.

Me:  You don’t?

Beau:  I listen good. I just don’t always heed what you’ve got to say.

Me:  Oh. Well… it would be nice if you did.

Beau:  Why?

Me:  Why? Well, I’m the mistress. You’re the dawg. You’re supposed to listen to me.

Beau:  I do. And then I do what you ask when it suits me.

Me:  But wouldn’t it be nice if you always did what I said?

Beau:  Where’s the fun in that?

Me:  Well… it might be nice to try it out.

Beau:  I like it just the way it is now.

Me:  But you only do what I say when it suits you.

Beau:  And that suits me just fine.

Me:  You know you’re being obstreperous.

Beau:  Obstrepe-who?

Me:  Obstreperous. As in, ‘difficult to control’.

Beau:  Ahhh… so that’s it. You think people think you’re not able to control me and that makes you look bad.

Me:  Well…. my friend did suggest you always win these conversations and she didn’t think that was right. You being a dawg and all.

Beau:  So… you care more about what other people think than you do about our relationship.

Me:  Beau! I didn’t say that.

Beau:  So, you’re saying you care about our relationship and I’m fine just the way I am.

Me:  Um… yes. Except the listening to me when I call thing… You’re perfect.

Beau:  Oh good. Now that we’ve got that all straightened out, tell your friend to relax. We’re fine with our relationship just the way it is.

Sigh. And so… once again, Beau has the last word. And as to my friend… well, thank you for the lovely caring question. Oh well. It was worth the try…

It’s okay. I’m kind of love Beau’s obstreperous ways.