Dog Wonder, the Office Assistant

Today I witnessed something truly amazing.

I went to the mail room in an attempt to snag my boss’s mail before someone on my floor could go get it, give it to me, and act like I never check the mail (which is how things typically pan out).  While there, I was greeted my a woman in a wheelchair who seemed to have difficulty using her arms for some physical reason or other.  She had a dog beside her, who was wearing a very fashionable vest stating his position as her assistant.

She was lovely and let me pet him (dogs are always a “him” until it’s proven otherwise) and given my absolute need to have interaction with dogs every once in a while, I was convinced that this petting session was the highlight of my day.

Until.

Until the amazing dog in the amazing dog vest was told to “get the mail.”  He then reached up, stuck his front paws on the ledge of the shelving unit and proceeded to dig the mail out of her slot with one paw.  Once it had reached the edge, he gingerly bit down on it with his mouth, pulled it out, and brought it down to the woman in the wheelchair.

I stood there, jaw hanging open, and said “that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

She smiled and continued to the elevator as I stood there wondering if it was insensitive of me to compliment her assistant dog.   I’m not really sure what etiquette dictates when one witnesses something extraordinary performed only out of necessity for a disabled person.   We’ve somehow reached a time where instead of acknowledging people’s differences and celebrating them, we’re quietly urged by society to pretend differences don’t exist.

I think a superhero dog is cause for celebration.

Was I suppose to pretend that I didn’t just see him perform a breathtaking act of accuracy and dexterity?  Because I did, and it was.

Of course, after a mere elevator ride’s time back up to my floor, I had dismissed my social etiquette conundrum to make room in my brain for the master plan I had for a fleet of capable hounds, trained and ready to do my bidding.

What would my bidding be? What are they capable of?  Is this the secret to my taking over the world?

But then I remembered Up, and how those talking dogs annoyed the hell out of me, and how the old guy with a herd of them didn’t win in the end.

Back to the drawing board, I suppose. ♣

Tags: 365 Project, Humor, life, musings, postaday2011