What am I doing?

I have been in Townsville for the past two weeks on a work placement, with one week left to go.  I’m put up at the pet friendly Robert Towns Comfort Inn that has a queen bed, sofa that I use to lay out my clothes I’ll never wear here, a couple desks and a tiny kitchenette.  I keep the air con at 25 degrees and Triple J playing quietly during the day for the hopeful comfort of my loyal companion, Benny the Pug.  I also leave the curtains open during the day in case he feels like watching the cars pass by.  I am quite certain however, by proof of a pug-shaped indent in my clothes left in my suitcase open on the floor, that he nestles in and sleeps most the day.  

He’s such a good boy – never makes a mess or barks.  I get home each evening after work at about 615pm to the same routine – he greets me immediately at the door, little black pug face squeezing out impatiently as the door opens inwards.  He’s all squirmy and excitable – just like me.  I give him an enthusiastic scratch and pet and cuddle, and whilst I’m kicking off my heels I’m measuring out his half cup of kibbles for dinner.  I do this straight away so he can enjoy his walk that occurs directly after dinner.  If I walk him first, he just hurries to get back to the room for dinner. 

We have a little walk up the hill behind the hotel and around the block – on the way back to the room, he eyes up the lobby area of the hotel to see if Ann’s about.  He loves Ann – she is one of the owners of the place, and she loves him too.  She says he doesn’t have a mean bone is his body and she’s right.  He’s such a precious, loving, friendly little dog.  Benny and I look after each other and are more or less, one and the same. 

After we get in from our walk, it’s my dinner time.  If I’m not ordering room service, I’ll prepare a little something in my kitchenette and Benny will be waiting for food to drop to the floor, and sticking his nose in the fridge whenever it opens.  I draw the curtains, and return to the bed to eat my food and we start Benny’s “second dinner”.  He doesn’t get much as he certainly doesn’t need it, but he always get a little something of course. 

He rotates playing with the three toys we have here.  Butterfly froggy with a squeaker, crinkley wings and springy legs, crocodile that makes a mechanical growling noise when squeezed, and the newest addition brown monkey with long legs and arms and three squeakers (two already chewed out).  Sometimes we play fetch, sometimes we just play around on the bed, sometimes I lob them to him and he catches them in the air, and sometimes he just lies next to me on the bed while I read or watch MKR and he chews himself into a trance on a froggy eye or monkey foot.  I grab him intermittently and give him a cuddle which he tolerates for only a short time, and sometimes we wrestle and I play with his little mouse feet or annoy him in other ways, but I’m really sure he loves all of it.  When it’s bed time, I get his night shirt out.  He sits up and I put it over his head first, then one paw at a time which he assists with by lifting each paw as required.  We snuggle in, and sometimes he goes under the sheets which is a new thing because it’s usually too warm for that. 

Morning comes, and as usual I’m not ready to get out of bed just yet but that never stops Benny for more than 5 mins.  I’m lucky if it’s a 5 minute reprieve!  Because of course, it’s now BREAKFAST TIME!  He’s up, off the bed, and impatiently waiting for me to rise and shine too so he can get fed.  The night shirt comes off, he’s fed his half cup of kibbles, I go to the loo, put on my moomoo, his collar goes on, lead gets hooked up and we’re off for morning walkies.  Round the corner, down the hill, Benny scouting the place for any delicacies to devour, up the hill, back down and back to the room for me to get ready for work.  He knows what’s coming – that I have to leave for the day.  Upon my exit, he gets a dried chicken neck to ease my guilt and his sadness. 

I love that little smuggy.  Last night I was so looking forward to seeing him after work, I was talking to myself the whole drive home saying “Smug pug muggy.  My little smug pug mug.  I love my little sweetie bums!” 

One day I might get another dog, but not just now.  I have thought about it and really think he likes being the centre of my attention.  One day, though.