Plate of Warning: Kujo Was a Puppy Too.

          *Warning: this essay includes a description of a dog bite. Pursue at your own will*

    Merry Christmas to all of my 5 readers! I hope your holiday was lovely. Mine was a very nice time, doing something I’ve never done before. Visiting the in-laws, making sentimental gifts, and meeting the grandparents-in-law for the first time. My day started off irregular. I set my clock for 3AM after having bowels about as backed up as L.A. traffic before Christmas. Hoping to escape the dreaded bathroom break without anyone in the house finding out if I poop or not, I made the perfect plan. Alas, nothing came to fruition. Then I woke up at 7am, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Excited to open gifts, I awoke my fiance in kisses and rushed down those stairs after a quick pitstop of “hello hello” with my in-laws. The night before I set out a glass of water and a blueberry bagel split in half with a note that said “Sorry Santa, budget cuts!” And I came down, to find that 2 big bites were munched out of them! Riveting. 2 big bites…

    The day progressed and I met my grandparent in-laws. Very kind people. I loved talking to them. Grandpa had a funky Christmas shirt that I adored, though I didn’t say much about it. Or anything at all. And we opened gifts. Some of which I opened for Bosco (dog) and Nitty (cat). My very emotionally steadfast hubby got a kick out of this, seeing as today is his favorite holiday. He lit up like a kid in the candy store. Nonetheless, dogs get bones and cats get fish. All is right with the world.

    Alas, more visitors came over and the wave of 18 broken conversations rang through my head. Laughs on the left side and sighs on the right. I even found in between my own conversation, I couldn’t tune in. Though unapparent to everyone else, my body was giving off warning signs.

    My eyes became glazed and autopilot. My hair tucking seemed like interest. And my back and forth leaning into the couch was like a more gentle way of slamming my body into a brick wall. Unbeknownst and increasingly irritated, happy holidays were becoming neutral. Until it stopped… The chatter, the clanging of metal on plates, all stopped. That’s when everyone pushed their warnings aside and tuned in. The family dog, Bosco, gripped his jaws onto the neck of a guest. Overstimulated and warning cues missed, Bosco drew blood. The guest put his finger in the dog's mouth and pried the clamp off of him. In shock, he exclaimed he didn’t know that would happen. A wave of nausea ran over me. If I ever considered being a doctor, I knew for certain I wasn’t going to be one after that. Peering over the crowd of people, a dark purple mark with crimson drops near the jugular carefully decorated the wound. That’s when I remembered I had received a first aid kit for Christmas. So, I got it. And as I walked back, I saw Bosco being escorted outside by two men. If you’ve ever seen a more sullen dog, I raise you. Built into his genetic code, but unlike his personality, he grieved the mistake of his actions. Behavior and all, words didn’t need to be transacted. Of course my med pouch didn’t have the one thing the group needed to heal the bite. Saline. Note, I will retrieve that another time.

    We all stood in shock and disbelief. I threw away my soda and plate of pot roast, because I couldn’t stomach another bite. The guest was rushed to the hospital and the house became empty. My father in law, the owner of Bosco, stood hurt and gravely affected by the incident. Ruminating over the possibility that a man's best friend faced death row. On a tipping scale of his fur baby growing into something sinister like Kujo. But, Kujo was a puppy too, right? It’s in a dog’s nature to kill. Especially a breed that’s built to withstand high altitudes and kill bears. As fluffy as they may be, we have to consider that this was always a reality. So, that’s what we deliberated about for the entire night and morning after. Words were hashed in crescendo, from whispers to shouts. Doors were slammed. People ran from their problems and others sought to create it. And shoes were torn out of closets to visually demonstrate frustration. All while Bosco sat outside listening while his life hung in a balance. Guilty for his mistake and unable to make himself eat. Bosco was considered a threat.

     My own apprehension clouded my judgement and I knew I couldn’t be in Bosco’s presence. Realizing that I had my face a little too close to his just a mere hours before, I could’ve ended up with the wound. It was all a little too real. And most importantly, Christmas felt like it was tanking. Since the incident, I’ve had a night's rest, a plate full of food, and the ability to sit next to Bosco and pet him. I’ve let him come to me. And I’ve paid more attention to his reactions. Do his behaviors shift? Though I’m on the fence, I love this pup. It’s unfathomable to believe that this pup could kill bears if he wanted. But I saw it with my own eyes. I heard it with my own ears. Teeth clamped down and all.

    Warning signs can go unrecognizable if you blind yourself to the noise. But they’re there for a reason. If you choose to look past them, your neck could be on the line. And as cute as they may be, they’re created for a purpose. Whether that purpose serves you or not, it’s the foundation. Beethoven or Kujo, it’s all the same. Kujo was a puppy too, you know? 

Until then – Pass the plate, I’m hungry for more information.

-KSF