The Dog Ate My Homework

I thought I did everything right yesterday. Almost. I didn’t take into account how hot it was and I had to cut waxing short. I was dripping sweat so I only got the front side of Lion waxed. But a little while after his shower, we played and, although I don’t think I got him quite to the edge, he had a lot of fun. We both did. Then I cooked him a nice meal, complete with fresh corn and fresh string beans. We also had an heirloom tomato. And then the walls came tumbling down.

At some point in the evening, Lion said he knocked a piece of his cage on the floor from his nightstand. I figured I could get it when I was ready to lock him up again. He reminded me that it was on the floor and I was still under the assumption that I could pick it up when I locked him away. So when I went to lock him up, I was very confused that I couldn’t find the piece. Where could it have gone?

The dog.

I looked under the bed and it was all the way toward the middle. I thought she picked it up because it smelled like Lion. When I pulled it out, I realized she had chewed it. Stupid dog! She chewed the part that hooks into the base ring. Lion was upset. I was too. I asked if we could just have that piece replaced or if we had to get a whole new cage. He didn’t know but was mad because it’s the most comfortable cage he has and it was ruined. And even fixing that one piece, he reasoned, would probably cost $200. And he’d told me the piece was on the floor. If I had picked it up, there wouldn’t be a problem.

And there went the whole day of doing everything right. Down the tubes. Gone. Poof. Negated. Even offering to pay for the new part or a whole new cage out of my money didn’t make him feel better. He just knew he was without the most comfortable cage he owned. Eventually he said he could wear the Jail Bird in the meantime. I decided we should wait until morning to lock him up. I didn’t want to risk pinching him or having problems locking him up when he was already upset.

So now we wait. He sent an email last night to see if they could replace the piece. Even if they can, it will probably be at least a week or two before we get it. I’d say it was okay for him to go without the cage until it’s replaced but I don’t think that would go over very well. He’s gotten used to being caged again. It’s not like the Jail Bird is horrible. It just doesn’t fit as well. And he has trouble peeing with it on. I think it will be too frustrating. Every time he has to pee he’ll be reminded that he doesn’t have his comfortable cage. And he’ll mention it. And I’ll feel worse that I let him down yet again. And where the hell is the response from the cage people?

[Lion — It isn’t Mrs. Lion’s fault. I knocked the part down. She figured it was safe until she got around to finding it. I’m waiting to hear from Evotion about getting a new part. I’m not upset with my lioness. I am unhappy that I knocked it off my nightstand and couldn’t see where it landed.]