The New Girlfriend **

Some of you may know, that though I am 62, I have no grandchildren yet.Surrounded as I am by friends who have anywhere from 2 to 6 of the above item, sometimes it gets a bit frustrating.The closest thing I have to grandchildren are my two granddogs.Yep, that would be my son’s little mocha colored poodle, Boo, and my roommate’s little pomeranian, Moki.Hey, you take what you can get.One day I was babysitting Boo and we were sitting on the loveseat together, and I decided to call the friend who has 6, count ‘em, 6 grandkids.She wasn’t home and the voicemail picked up.I said hello and then informed her that I was sitting on the couch with my grandson.Then, I had to add: “Some of us have HUMAN grandchildren and some of us have to settle for a DOG!”So, that’s the background to my sad tale.This story is about Moki, the crazy little pom who lives with me.Seems Moki, or Mocha as I sometimes call him when his parents aren’t around, has had a girlfriend since he was a puppy.A little, black, beady-eyed stuffed dog.Now, Moki was very attached to his girlfriend in an amorous sort of way, if you know what I mean.On more than one occasion, I’ve been showing a potential renter around the house, and there’s Moki, unshamedly carrying on with the girlfriend!Pretty embarassing, I have to say!When you put the girl up and away, Moki is none too happy about it, although he does give up and go on his way, whining.But sometimes he gets a hankering, and nothing is going to deter him.He starts doing this hopping dance in front of the hutch where “girl” is recuperating, then he starts whirling around in circles, then he starts jumping up and down on his hind feet, all the while yelping a love-sick yelp.So, the girlfriend comes out of hiding for a time.Until the next guest arrives at the front door.A few days ago I noticed a new, stuffed dog in the living room.A fresh, perky, little brown gal, with all her limbs intact.I didn’t think a whole lot about it, but I did observe that Moki kind of passed her by without notice.The next evening I went upstairs to chat with my roomies, and there she was again, on their living room floor.”Who’s that?” I asked.”Oh, that’s Moki’s new girlfriend.”"Really,” I said.”Yeah, but Moki doesn’t seem interested so far.”Seems my roomies got tired of the original version and, I have to admit, I understand.She was looking a little worse for wear, let me tell you.Beat up, stuffing coming out in various places, one limb hanging.Just plain worn out, if you ask me.But so far Moki doesn’t see it that way, though there are a few signs that Miss Sit and Take Notice of Perky Little Me is starting to work her charms.I figure she’s got lots of life in her and plenty of time to bide, until Moki forgets about Little Miss Forlorn and Forgotten.Just makes me think, though, if it’s hard for a dog to get over a love affair and find a new replacement, no wonder we humans have a heck of a time with it!In this case, I’m actually rooting for the new love attraction.Maybe it was time for retirement for Miss Blacky.But I know how you feel, Moki.I know how you feel.It’s not that easy to replace an old love, one who’s seen you through thick and thin (literally).

No, it’s not that easy