I was in Chattanooga last week.  I’d been there before but only on a pass-through from Nashville.  This was a pass-through too, but I had a little extra time to explore. However, things got a little ruff.

I decided to walk from the Chattanooga Choo Choo to the riverfront area rather than take the shuttle.  I passed by a lot of businesses, shops, and restaurants before I found a place of interest.  Through the window, I saw that it was a little messy inside but it seemed like a place where I could get into something interesting. I opened the door and went in. As soon as I stepped inside a little dog who wore a knitted sweater scampered up to me. I have to be honest. I never know what to do when I encounter someone else’s pet. I feel like I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t and I only have a few seconds to decide which damned I want to be. That day, the sweater and the fact that the dog roamed freely in a place of business led me to go with a ‘do’ and I certainly ended up being damned.

Truffles, or whatever the dog’s name was, snapped at me.  He must have known my heart really wasn’t in it.  Don’t get me wrong, I like pets…when they are mine. Actually, I like Not-My-Kitty too and she isn’t mine.   Beyond that, I have little interest in touching your Truffles and I should have stuck with that rather than being swayed by a sweater and roaming privileges.

Interestingly, right after Truffles snapped, the store lady barked.  It wasn’t a ruff-ruff type of bark. It was a, “Don’t give my dog any love.  He’s 16 years old and he doesn’t know you” bark.   I felt like my teacher just punished me and I was gonna be kept in for desk work at recess.  While I wanted to turn around and go back out the door, I decided to pretend that I was glad I stopped in.  After all, I wanted to respect my elders-even those who barked.

As I walked through the book stacks in the messy bookstore, I noticed that most of the books were about history and geography and therefore, were well out of my wheelhouse. I also stepped over what seemed like hundreds of plastic bags and cardboard boxes filled with wads of different color yarn. I don’t knit one, pearl two or double crochet so I wasn’t in the market for any yarn. I figure I have a few more years before I start making afghans and scarfs as Christmas presents for everybody in my family.  Anyway, I had had enough and wanted to make a quick exit. Unfortunately, the path to the door was blocked.  No, it wasn’t because of Truffles. It was because the barking lady, another customer, and an office chair blocked the only way out.  I tried to move the chair, but it wouldn’t roll.  I had no choice but to ask the lady and her other customer to move. “Excuse me,” I said, politely.  “Move out of the way and let her out,” barked the store lady.  “She doesn’t like my dog or my yarn.”

Yeah, I was in Chattanooga last week and all I got was a snap and two barks. I guess you could say my time there was a little ruff.

Thanks for sharing the laughter!  Have a great weekend.

Eliza G.