Street Shorts - September 28, 2026

Dogs Rule!

I’m always fascinated by how dogs impact our frames of reference.  Currently, I’m not a dog “owner”, but have had the pleasure of having dogs in my family.  (I put “owner” in quotes because when you think about it, they actually own us.)   And so, I often thought of those family dogs as dear friends, and sometimes soul mates.  We always just seemed to get one another.  My parents last dog, Gretel, fit that description to a tee.  We were buddies, pals, confidantes.  Our unconditional love for one another ran deep. She was a miniature dachshund and I was able to take her many places with me, including a neighborhood hardware store.  I would pick up gadgets for my dad on occasion, and if Gretel wasn’t with me, the store owner always asked, “where’s Gretel?”  I think they like her more than they liked me.  (Gretel didn’t ask as many questions as I.) She died 30+ years ago, and believe it or not, I still talk to her.  When I came across this lady lovingly holding her dog, it brought back sweet memories of me and Gretel.