i didn't know that i was going to get the xerx. you see, my lone spring-time roommate at alpine village and i decided (after spending much time with archimedes) it might be fun to get a puppy. after searching online and pet stores, seeing the ridiculous prices for a little bundle of joy that would require much more payment in the form of shots, neutering, chewed up shoes... it was decided that a used dog might be our best bet financial wise.
and so, after looking through the ads on ksl.com and craigslist, i sent emails to a few people who were giving away their dogs due to various reasons. i found a smiley dog known as champ, who came already neutered, potty trained (so they claimed), and with a variety of pre-taught commands. i arranged to meet the dog the next weekend.
that upcoming saturday, roommate and i loaded ourselves into the car and headed up to north salt lake to meet this dog. usually the trip takes an hour; it took three. if there was any warning from god to turn around, this was it. some truck driver decided to text at the wheel through a construction zone, totally missing the lane shift, and flipped his truck into oncoming traffic. awesome.
way past fashionably late, we arrived and met the dog. he was a little bit taller than anticipated, but just as graceful as ever. let me tell you, i have high expectations for my canine friends. they can't just be a dog ; my canine friend must have the soul of a human, yet trapped in a dog's body. it was obvious that champ and i got along quite well. he rolled down at my feet and took a nap. the owners said "i have never seen him this calm before" [warning: that is like buying a used car, and during the test drive the previous owners says 'wow it doesn't usually run this well at all!']
after spending a few more minutes and talking it over with chels, we decided that we wanted champ. the owners said "great - well we already said goodbye to him, videotaped our daughter saying goodbye to him... she's about to wake up from a nap... so can you take him now?" a little flabbergasted, i hesitantly agreed.
the man on the ride home... sooo dirty!
this dog was an absolute nightmare. without going into too many details, it is sufficient to say that there were a few moments in those beginning days where i have never been more mad at a living creature than i was at this unnamed dog (champ was not doing it for me). there was one point where i was so mad at him for a particular transgression that i clenched my jaw so hard i thought i cracked a molar. those were not happy times.
i may or may not have took out some of my anger on the poor, defensless creature. not the best moment of my life. cutting steps into his tail:
and, after getting upset at the constant shedding, giving him a terrible hair cut:
but somewhere, and i don't know when it happened, i started to actually love this creature (whom i named xerxes). i found cuteness in some of the things he did. like the religious, peaceful way that he sniffed the air from the car window:
or how cute he looks when he sits, pidgeon toed on the ground:
sometime, i fell in love with him. now this dog takes up so much of my love. i just can't imagine life without mister man.
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