Untitled (“The dog and I are watching the debate…”)
The dog and I are watching the debate
The way we do: Chinese food for me and a cocktail for her
She nibbles on her olive and says how it was in her day
After all, she's 13—born when a Republican was in office
Born in a small conservative village in Idaho while I was working at the newspaper
She has always been a little cautious; a little prissy
She always votes Republican
It's hard to eat egg rolls, I remark, while listening to the conservatives shout
She sniffs judgmentally and says what about Bernie's idea for national health care
She says he has no plan
I say conservatives would never pay for her kidney medication
If something happened to me
She is silent for a while, stirring her cocktail
It's a tender moment between us and we forget the debate
Both of us are so much older than when we first met, and we think about that
Separately; her sniffing thoughtfully and hopefully at my egg roll, and me longing for her cocktail
Don't even think about it, she says, you can't handle your liquor
And you can't handle cabbage, I hiss back
The dog defends the second amendment as if she had ever held a gun, or seen one
The constitution, she argues
I remind her she has no rights under it and she grimaces at the injustice
The conservatives really seem eager for war, I say
You just don't understand, she says, we need to appear strong, like me when I charge a pit bull
I roll my eyes
You look idiotic, I remind her
Later, when she tells me who she's voting for, I feel a flash of fury, and then softness
The way it is when you're dealing with an old woman you love
She is putting cold cream on and I am drinking hot lemon tea
I take her outside and she points out the dogs she thinks are liberal
All the ones wearing boots and sweaters, I note
She saw a French bulldog she's sure will be voting for Trump
By the arrogant expression
This is ridiculous, I say
But she says my mind is closed and retires to her bed, ending the conversation
I don't want to bring up that she can't vote
We've been together too long to strike such a low blow
We fall asleep with her rancid breath steaming my cheek
Knowing politics don't matter at all.
