Hoocher departed his city residence for the bucolic charms of The Outpost Saturday with hardly a wag of goodbye. As soon as The Chairman and The Governor arrived to pick him up, the pooch changed allegiance to them, from us, in spite of a week of special treats, ear scratching and general pampering. The neighborhood dogs must be delighted to see him go, however, because they no longer have to pay obeisance to his alpha status, earned by force of personality and without any need for even a growl. Man, did they cower in his presence, beagle and golden retriever alike. The “jumping dogs of Oakdale,” as The Senator calls them, barked and leaped in Hoocher’s presence, but that was from behind the safety of a 4-foot-high, chain-link fence. He hardly gave them a glance.
The Chairman and Gov. had arrived Friday night from the family vacation and were with us overnight. The Governor discovered the noisy joy of stepping on the bathroom trashcan’s foot pedal, creating a cymbal-like cacophony. Before they left, Hoocher spent the morning snuggled up to The Chairman with a look at us that defined our status as second-raters in our own house. What a change from when he had to rely on us for care and feeding. Next time, pooch, you’re going to earn your keep by doing battle with the garbage-can-tipping raccoon that scatters trash over the driveway. Hoocher, for that task, you’d better practice on the dumpster kitties at The Outpost.