Jessica Day George

Friday, March 27, 2009

Pippin, Guardian of the Underworld

So the other day I picked up Boy and his Friend from preschool and brought them to our house to play. Boy has no fear, which is sometimes a bad thing and sometimes a good thing, but Friend is unfortunately afraid of dogs. Now, when you're three and a half, and you are only about three feet tall, it's easy to understand why you would be afraid of dogs, particularly big dogs. Especially since Friend has no dog of his own to interact with. But it always surprises me when Friend, or anyone else, is afraid of Pippin. Pippin is the size of a bedroom slipper. She weighs a whopping six pounds (which the vet has informed us is borderline obese, for her, hee hee. Baby girl weighed eight pounds and some eleven ounces when she was born, so Pippin is the official lightweight in the house.)

So I unlock the door into the house, and I lift Boy and Friend down out of the car, and I go around to Baby Girl's side to get her out. I come around the car and see that Boy has gone inside, but Friend is standing rigid in the middle of the garage.

"What's up?" I ask.

He points at the door into the house, mute and terrified.

I look up and see, standing with all the tiny majesty of an alpha female the size of a shoe, Pippin. She is in the doorway of the garage, nose lifted to sniff the air, tail curled elegantly across her back, and Friend does not dare to take a step closer. I snap my fingers and attempt to banish her, but lo, she does not budge. I carry Baby Girl into the house, stepping over Pippin in the process, with many assurances to Friend that this is just same ol' little Pippin, no threat to small boys or beasts, but neither of them move.

Finally I put down the baby, snatch up my little one-headed Cerberus, and stick her under my arm. Then I start thinking that maybe Friend knows something I don't. Perhaps Pippin is some sort of harbinger of doom. A guardian of the underworld. A being of immense, dark potential.

If this is true, I may want to take the little bow off her collar, because it ruins the whole effect.

10 comments:

KT said...

Well, I have to say I feel for friend. I am pretty much terrified of dogs, even the little ones. Though, I have learned to hide it (sorta) in public...

I've loved the two books of yours I've read. We're poor college students so I have to wait for the dumb 'ol library to get the rest!

Anonymous said...

I knew dogs were hiding something... Our dog (Poo, who's an Aussie and 55 pounds) has always had that touch... I didn't know they were all in it together!! Hey, the more the merrier, right?
Poor Friend. I know some people like that, and it's tough. But with a little time, I think he'll save us all when the dogs try to destroy the world!!! (I am a fan of dogs, no offense to anyone!)
~Kiera

Megan said...

I should not be amused by the fear of a child, but I couldn't help but think that this is one of the funniest blog posts I've read! lol

Enna Isilee said...

BWAHAHA! Very funny. I adore dogs, and don't understand people who don't like them. I don't have one of my own (yet) but I love 'em all. Two of my favorite dogs are an English Mastiff named Pepper and a great dane named Potter. They're fun, until they want to jump on you :O

Rachel said...

This is hilarious! Poor kid...
You don't have to get a ribbon. Maybe replace it with a black one, though, so it still looks menacing?

Penny said...

This was such a cute post! Ours is a 50 lb yellow lab mix, and he loves kids so much that he sits on them when they're playing on the floor. KidA is equal weight, so it's not so bad, but KidB is half that, so it's a little traumatizing for her!

Aria said...

If your dog is the harbringer of doom, my dog will save the day. We call her Lady the Wonderdog. She's fifteen and has tea with the Queen every thursday. So fear not world!

EG said...

I feel very sorry for friend. its not friends faults that they're afraid of dogs. Isn't Pippin in Dragon Slippers? Amalia's dog?

LOVE your book.i have recommended to about all my friends(i mean it). i've got Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight, but I didn't know there was a Dragon Spear??? Is it even out yet (in Aussie, I mean)?
P.S I'm your no.1 fan!!!

Jade said...

O.k...
first off POOR FRIEND! Pippin may be small, but are you afraid of heights or spiders? not even considering the size of them? It is probbably the same kinda thing; all dogs have sharp teeth and legs (nomatter how small) to run after you with!

SEE my point?!?

Secondly, get Pippin one of those collars with little studs on it (typically worn by ferocious breeds of dog...
and punks...)

Ps: can't say i'm much of a dog person; doesn't anybody love cats at all?? - not even a little?!?)

8D

ls said...

This sort of reminds me of one of my cats. She was just about the friendliest thing in the world and then one day she started sitting on top of our fridge and growling at everybody in sight. Well my aunt is a big believer in ghost, so she walks up to our cat and screams at the top of her lung..."OH MY GOSH JOY YOUR CAT IS POSSESSED BY AUNT REENE!!!"
Needless to say once she said that we started realizing just how like Aunt Reene our cat was acting. It was kind of funny to watch my mom edge out of a room every time the cat walked in. :D