The Compliments Go To Him, or Fly On The Wall

 As a person, I generally like all kinds of animals, preferably ones with legs, but not more than 4, no less than 2. Any three-legged natural animal is welcome, too. The point is, the question most asked concerning animals, apart from ' what animal would you want to be' and 'which animal tastes the best' is 'Are you a dog person or a cat person?' Personally, to be half dog or cat doesn't appeal to me at all, but I understand the question to a tee.

I don't mind cats, except for the part where they go 'Reowr' and hiss at you and scratch at you. I don't mind dogs either, except when you take them for walks and they just sit there at look at you, and the point of a walk is they, well, walk. Not sit.

A few hours ago, I took my Godmother's dog out for a walk. Dylan was pawing at the ground and I took pity (yes, I do have some) and volunteered to take him out. I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID THAT. I just thought I would.

So we were walking, and he dragged me in a completely random path. When I finally begged him to walk correctly, he scoffed at me and sat still. After some groveling from my part, he got of his rumpus and we started walking again. 

Out of nowhere, two cats fell from the sky (nah, I'm just kidding) and they started trotting after Dylan. That just struck me as a bit odd. Never mind, Nigel, the insanity has just begun... I met another handler a ways away, and the maid was with another Golden Retriever. She came up to Dylan and petted me and asked me, "Is this Dylan?" I said, "Yes." Then she continued to say things to Dylan, while me and the cats stood by the wayside. When she said goodbye, Dylan of course got the goodbye.

Continuing on our little jaunt, Dylan took the lead, with me behind, black cat behind me and brown cat behind black cat. Everyone passing by either paid no attention to this strange procession or commented by saying something to whoever he/she was walking with. After awhile, Dylan decided he would just sit down on the grass. So being equally as stubborn, I sat down next to him, and the cats wandered around both of us. Most of the passerbys stroked Dylan and told him(not, of course, me) that he was soooooo cute. 

After a while, black cat wandered close to me and I let my hand out to him. He then did some ritual where he would feint against my hand, stroke his body against it, and bite it, then swipe at it, then rinse and repeat. With Dylan and one side and black cat on the other, I must have been some strange sight. The various groups of people around me ( there were quite a few, teenagers, mothers and children, fathers and children, fathers and teenagers, mother of father, etc.) were looking in the direction of the 'boy-who-could-not-budge-dog-but-could-play-with-cat'. Dylan refused to move, and the cat kept playing with my hand.

After ages, I stupidly realised that if I had unleashed Dylan from his leash, he would run. So I did, and he set off on a trot. I followed after him, the two sinewy felines tracing our steps nimbly. After awhile, I started skipping, so our maniacal troupe started moving at a very odd pace. The cats kept following us, and a third one even joined in. The people must have thought I was some magical fairy dressed in black.

Anyway, what's the point of this post? I realised that people are only attracted to gimmicks. Without Dylan, there would be no cats, and there we be no compliments or odd stares. Seeing a boy walking around at night is nothing special. Seeing a boy with a dog and two cats, however, is something else altogether. I might as well be a fly on the wall, if not for the company of the Great Dylan.