This summer, on the Aqua RV, Capt. SO and I have had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful new boat people. We all have one thing in common: Our summer homes float.....thankfully well and without leaks. When your home is supposed to stay on top of the water, knowing that it is helps one sleep at night.
There are other common attributes that bind boat people together: A dislike of rain, differing tolerance levels to wind (sailors like some wind, power boaters prefer flat seas), the gift of gab, an aversion to spiders, the love of the color white (for the most part), an appreciation for low crude oil prices, an over-all annoyance with tiny bugs and, perhaps the most important, a love of animals.......dogs in particular. (Sorry kitty-owners, you just do not find many cats on boats.)
Dogs, like their owners, come in many differing sizes, shapes, colors, and dispositions. One does not often see very large dogs at marinas because there are few boats large enough to comfortably house a large-breed dog. The Marmadukes of the world live only on the mega-yachts. Medium-to-small-sized boats are where you find great variety in the canine world. Since my SO and I are particularly fond of Springer Spaniels, it is not surprising that we met, and fell in love with, a liver and white Springer named Bo this summer.
Bo is a charming, slightly older dog, with a keen sense of smell and selective hearing loss. Like our beloved Max, Bo doesn't always hear the human voice but he can probably hear a bag of dog-treats being opened from a football-field away. What he cannot hear, he smells. As often as we remember, we carry dog treats in our pockets, hoping to have the pleasure of running into Bo (and his owners). Poor Bo has probably gained a few pounds this summer just because of us, but he remains handsome, Buff Bo.
When greeting a friend or newcomer, Bo will bark his acknowledgement. Bo eagerly accepts treats and this communication characteristic has probably served to reinforce his barking. Bo knows that we usually carry doggie-delights and also knows that if he barks, he'll get a treat. Smart dog, that Bo. He knows a dog-lover (or two) when he sees them.
And so, Bo, I apologize for reinforcing your barking but I do not apologize for falling for you. The pleasure has been all mine!
Ancora imparo
