All Creatures Great and Small (Are Having a Very Bad Day)

It is raining today.  Really raining. 

I went out on the balcony to have a soggy smoke break.  In the lake behind my apartment, the fish were freaking out and trying to jump out of the water.  Their little two-dimensional, man-made world was being assaulted and literally turned upside-down by some external force they didn't understand. 

The metaphor was obvious, and I felt sad for them.  I wish I could explain to them what rain is, that it always ends, that trying to escape the water is suicide.  But when you're in the pond, the pond is all you know.  Poor fish.

Then, there is Hank, who is arguably having the worst day of all.  He woke up yesterday looking like this: 

Ye-owww!  The picture doesn't even do it justice.  I hope that's not considered puppy pornography or something.  I only include the picture to remove all doubt that it is all in my maternally-paranoid head. 

Even worse, I have to yell at the poor little bugger every five minutes to stop him from scratching/biting himself.  It's become kind of a game.  I will hear him scratching behind me, and turn around really fast and stealth-like to catch him in the act.  He is sitting there, leg in the air, mid-scratch, looking guilty as if to say, "What?  That wasn't me, that was that other dog that looks like me."  Hank does not have a good poker face for sure. 

Oh, and by the way, we had the rash tested at the vet, and it is scabies.  Somebody's got some 'splaining to do!  (Actually, that is a joke and he got it from the park dammit!  WE ARE NOT DIRTY SCABIES-HARBORING TRASH PEOPLE!)  Of course, even after some intense oatmeal baths, antibacterial ointments, and cleansing techniques of every variety, we all caught it, too.  We are one big, itchy, disease-ridden family.

So yeah, all God's creatures are having a  rough go of it today.  So for chrissake, hug an animal today.  Unless it has scabies, in which case  just think some nice thoughts for the animal while fleeing the area.

Comments

[Louise]

Oh Lord. Poor Hank baby. That looks incredibly uncomfortable. And I'm sure it bothers you as well. Scabies . . . scabies . . . oh god, they're bugs! I had to click the link. You have BUGS! Ah hahahahha. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Stupid dog park. I don't go to them anymore because The Dogger always picks up fleas, and the the cats get them, and then I wake up and a flea is feeding off me cause I sleep with The Dogger, and then I kick myself for forgetting to start her on Advantage. . . it happens every year. You'd think I'd learn.

[Noelle]

That is just... Oh my God... that picture... with the red... and the OUCH!

[Jen]

OH my, poor Hank. That pic just made me so so sad. Scabies??? That is just horrible, he and you have my deepest sympathies and I hope they leave him soon! Peanut is scratching in sympathy.