BY: Dianne Bourgeois
No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does.
~Christopher Morley
"Hey lazy bones, it must be nice to sleep on the job."
As the owner of a small book and gift shop, I was addressing the most popular member of my staff. She lifted her head slightly to peer at me with her large brown eyes. Sensing that I wasn't initiating a snack break, she lay her head back down on the oval bed secluded under my desk. Rather than going back to sleep, my one-year-old Pug gazed at me contentedly.
"I love you too, Guinevere."
Having a canine employee has many benefits. How many bosses can say they have a staff member who loves them unconditionally? There is never a complaint about being paid in biscuits rather than cash. Break time is a refreshing gossip-free walk together around the block. There are never reprimands for a poor attitude, as my four-footed employee views every day on the job as an exciting new adventure. And as any business owner knows, the hours can be long and lonely when doing the less glamorous behind-the-scenes work. The companionship of a devoted furry staff member is priceless.
Guinevere loved going to work with me and if she thought she was going to be left at home, she would try to climb into my soft leather briefcase. She took her job to heart and quickly acquired a fan base among my customers. She greeted every one who entered the shop with a wag of her tightly curled tail and listened intently as they spoke to her.
Dogs tend to be non-judgmental toward humans, but Pugs in particular love everybody. Guinevere accepted everyone for just being themselves and she had the gift of making everyone feel special when she focused her attention on them. Guinevere's presence brought out the best in many of my customers. Even the shyest customers became more loquacious when talking to or about my little canine ambassador.
One afternoon a woman came into my shop with her teenage daughter who was mentally challenged. The daughter was delighted by the sight of my Guinevere peering at her through the glass jewelry case.
"I have a Dalmatian," the girl said excitedly.
"My dog's a Pug," I shared.
Guinevere sauntered over to the baby gate that kept her contained within the employee area, which was formed by the jewelry case, my desk, and the checkout counter. I kept a chair by the gate so that Guinevere's admirers could sit and be with her and she never denied anyone an audience.
Sometimes a weary customer just needed to sit for a short rest, only to find themselves reenergized by interacting with my furry staff member. Petting my Pug's luxuriously soft fawn-colored coat or stroking her black velvet-like ears was an instant stress reducer.
After letting the mother know I was available if she had any questions or needed help, I addressed her daughter.
"Would you like to see my dog? Her name is Guinevere."
As I pointed to the chair, the girl happily accepted my invitation to sit with my Pug. Guinevere, always the hostess extraordinaire, stood on her hind legs with her front paws resting on the girl's lap, her tail wagging furiously, and her tongue at the ready to dispense Pug kisses.
"My name's Dianne. What's yours?"
"Ellen," the girl replied.
Ellen's mother gave me a smile and continued shopping as her daughter and I swapped dog stories and compared the similarities and differences between the Dalmatian and Pug breeds. Guinevere listened to Ellen with rapt attention, occasionally cocking her head to one side or the other as if to absorb this new information about something called a Dalmatian. Ellen's enthusiasm eclipsed all appearance, both mentally and physically, of being a mentally challenged person.
It was a slow afternoon and no other customers had come in so I hadn't realized how long Ellen and I had been talking and laughing until her mother came over to the checkout counter.
The mother's eyes teared up as she said, "Thank you for taking the time to talk to my daughter. She's extremely shy and rarely talks to anyone but family and close friends."
"It was my pleasure," I responded. "We both enjoyed talking about our dogs."
As I said these words, I thought of the other mentally challenged folks in my town. I always smiled and said, "Hi," and perhaps added a little small talk. But like any stranger or someone I knew only by sight that I passed by during the course of a day, I didn't know their hopes and dreams, their hobbies and passions, their abilities and talents. My furry little ambassador had bridged the conversation gap, allowing a woman with a Pug and a teenage girl with a Dalmatian to discover their mutual love of dogs.
This simple connection gave us the gift of spending a delightful afternoon enjoying each other's company.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Chicken-Soup-For-The-Soul/2010/03/A-Delightful-Afternoon.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER&nlsource=49&ppc=&utm_campaign=DIBSoup&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter
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