Cricket has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and they are very skinny shoulders. She wakes up in the morning believing that she has, single-handedly, kept her Grandma safe over night from all manner of insidious evil. Sometimes she curls up on Grandma’s head to protect her from bad dreams (though not from headaches, clearly).
Cricket thinks she is enormous.
“I’ve got you, Grandma.”
When Mom is quilting or making a pair of camouflage pants for one of her grandsons, or his raccoon, I always suggest the she use some of the material to make a superhero cape for Cricket. It wouldn’t be hard to make, but Mom does not believe that Cricket would be willing to wear a cape, or a poncho, or a sweater, or even a sari (we had some lovely diaphanous apricot colored material that I thought would look heavenly on her – but no).
A suitcase is sort of like a cape. Right?
As soon as Cricket has finished guard duty over the sleeping Grandma, she sets her sights on the front door of the apartment, where she senses that there are shadows lurking on the other side, trying to slide through the keyhole. She has been known to race down the hall, with her knees locked and her back feet barely touching the ground, to yell at some vague sound or another.
Cricket believes that every time she hears a noise she needs to make as much and, if possible, more noise in answer. So, one bark from a dog outside equals ten barks from Cricket. Ten footsteps on the stairs equals twenty barks from Cricket. It’s a rule as important as gravity, or conservation of energy. It’s not a form of communication so much as an energy matching plan, to keep us afloat. It keeps the world spinning. And if she can get her sister to bark with her, so much the better.
“What are we barking at, Cricket?”
The big test comes when we leave the building and her feet touch public space. Then she must be even more watchful; so many dangers lurk in the backyard! One of the worst, beyond the daily horror of mail delivery, is the man who walks up the Forbidden hill, at 6:45 in the morning, carrying newspapers!!!!!!
Cricket finds this horrifying. She barks, and pulls at the leash and tries to get her paws up into the air to fight. I drag her, and a bewildered Butterfly, up the Good hill (the one the co-op says we are allowed to walk on, and therefore does not weed or mow), until Cricket can no longer see the offending newspaper man. But she still barks at him in absentia. She barks much longer than any reasonable dog could think it might take for the man to walk down our block of buildings and out of sight.
When I take the dogs back down the hill, Butterfly strolls along but Cricket is still pulling to get to the invisible interloper. She has come very close to hurting herself any number of times by leaping into the air while her leash stays still, because I’m in the middle of picking up her sister’s poop.
Most of the time when we are out in the backyard, Cricket is so busy trying to save the world (from work men, mailmen, neighbors and squirrels) that she forgets to poop. Inside the apartment she was hopping and climbing on me and scratching at my arm or leg in desperation, but outside, there’s too much going on to focus on something as boring as having to poop.
Butterfly’s job is to follow Cricket, to back her up in a worthy cause, or to get in her face and offer some calming doggy breaths when the hysteria has gone on too long. But Butterfly NEVER forgets to poop, or pee, or listen to the birds, or meditate for a bit, or check out the cat food left out for the local feral cats. Butterfly’s priorities are internal. She hears the rhythms of her own body loud and clear and only focuses externally once those needs are taken care of.
“I’m meditating, and it could take a while.”
We finally make our way back to our building, and Cricket is still blinking, and checking from side to side, and imagining newspaper men hiding behind bushes and around corners. The girls have to stand in the lobby of the building while I bring the bag of poop down to the garbage cans in the basement (we have no outdoor garbage cans at the co-op, as a matter of policy that I still don’t understand). I can hear Cricket pacing and checking and sniffing under our neighbor’s door, to make sure that she is safe and sound.
Finally we get back to the apartment, and Butterfly begs for a treat and drinks three buckets worth of water, and Cricket’s throat is sore, and she’s out of breath, and she starts to look around and check in with herself and you can see that moment of confusion when she gives herself a sniff and realizes she forgot to poop.
Being a super hero is hard work, and requires a few sacrifices; just ask Cricket.
“Oy.”
rachelmankowitz 
Did Dogdom put out some sort of bulletin stating that terrorists camouflaged pipe-bombs as newspapers? That’s the only reason I can see for hysteria over the poor paper-guy.
Cricket does seem to be a regular reader of the doggy doomsday blog.
I vote for Cricket to be super heroine of the year!
Yay!!! She accepts!
I’m so glad! Tell her that I am sending her story off to my sister in California. I hope she reads it to her West Highland terrier, Andy. He could use a boost..Age is catching up with him and he needs some laughter in his life.. (:
I knew a dog who was too sick to walk himself around the block and had to be pushed in a stroller – he still made the effort to bark away all evil doers. Those instincts are the last ones to go!
Rachel.. you just make me laugh I see you as being one to assist those going through the loss of a pet.. I think the degree you are going for will be perfect for you..
Thank you so much!
God forbid our little yappers get together to patrol the neighborhood!
There would be no crime, and certainly no rats dragging slices of pizza down the subway stairs.
that is so funny!! can you believe that video of the rat???
Cricket was very angry that someone was giving out dusty slices of pizza and she wasn’t there to get one.
Oh my goodness! I never knew the work it took to be such a hero!
Seriously! She is utterly exhausted!
Cricket is the biggest little dog I know. Why is it always the little dogs that are the most fearless? I absolutely love it! Such a fun post, Rachel.
Thank you! Cricket isn’t fearless, she just believes that it is her duty to make humans feel as frightened as she does.
Ha! As long as she fools them, that’s all that matters. She is so cute.
Cricket is a super heroine. A really fun post. Enjoyed very much.
Thank you!!!!!
How Cricket can keep up with it all. It truly is exhausting.
Wow, talk about dedication, I’m impressed. I can’t help but wonder if Cricket ever looks at Butterfly and wishes for just a tiny bit of her zen. I’m sure Butterfly would be glad to share her zen with her sister. 😀
There are times during the day when Cricket goes over to sniff Butterfly, hoping to get the zen in through her nose.
How sweet 🙂
You have such loyal and brave little guys- you are right that being a superhero is exhausting! Love the photos!
Thank you!!!!
Go, Super Cricket!
Wait…his raccoon?????
He has a stuffed animal raccoon instead of a teddy bear. But it’s a rough and tough raccoon and must always be ready to hide in the forest.
Ahhhh! I have been seeing a video of a mama raccoon scratching on a glass door with a rock all over FaceBook, do I have live raccoons on the brain! The stuffed raccoon sounds very sentient, though…
I think my nephew would prefer a live raccoon friend, but for some reason his parents said no.
Cricket, become a real superhero(ine) and save the world. You need what Kyla had when the Mayan calendar expired. She saved the world with her tinfoil hat. You should get one of those.
http://kylascott.com/2012/12/21/how-i-saved-the-world/sam_0231-2/
The danger is that Butterfly might steal the hat, and eat it!
Thanks for the ‘Sunday paper’ Rach, I went to bed looking forward to it, and it amused me as always x
Thank you so much!
Such hard work, keeping all the bad things at bay! Nicholas knows how it feels! Pip and the boys
People think dogs have it so easy. Pfffft!
Bless her such big days for such a little doggy :). Love how she tries to get rid of the badness giving your mum headaches. Dogs are really amazing that way.
Cricket worries whenever her grandma leaves the house alone, I mean, whose going to protect her and make sure she returns in one piece?!
Bless!
Hilarious, as always 😀
I absolutely loved the title!
Thank you!
This is so cute. She definitely needs a cape.
Definitely!
Super brave Cricket. See all and hear all. Maggie got fed up with the noise of the typhoons overhead all day so put her feet up on the fence and barked at the sky!
Oh no, I think Cricket is going to try that one next!
Awesome.
Thank you!
Chipper little Cricket. She must be exhausted after her walks just in her protective mode. Charlie sounds off at strange noises anticipating trouble on the home front. Good doggies.
Cricket makes sure to nap whenever she can fit it in, because you never know what danger is around the next bend.
Cricket sounds like me as a kid… eventually … there is poop lol
Eventually.. at three o’clock in the morning.
Obviously, superheroes don’t have time to use the bathroom – it’s why you never see them do it in the movies, right? Superhuman holding it in abilities?
Interesting. I wonder if that’s why they always seem to be wearing full body suits with no obvious zippers. Hmm.
I feel like this may be a realization that changes how I view superheroes forever more.
Seriously!
In some ways, our Chicki is more like Butterfly (she never forgets to do her jobs while on a walk) yet Chicki’s a leader, rather than a follower. 🙂
Very enjoyable post, Rachel!
Thank you!
What a day that was!
Every day!
Cricket is one of those dogs I like to call “in charge”. My chihuahua has the same trait…has to make sure the house is safe, my car is safe, that there are no villains lurking anywhere…she is ‘in charge.’ I had to laugh at the paper ‘boy’ portion and the mailman…those sort of people, along with Fed-X and UPS delivery men are a special kind of villain apparently. And Huny (my chi) even has come to know the sound of their TRUCKS..they don’t have to approach the house, they just have to drive by for her to go into full “big dog in charge” mode…as does Ms. Cricket apparently. What a busy and interesting life she has!!
If we are out on a walk and ANY white truck passes by, Cricket gives the potential mailman what for!
How wonderful to have Cricket to rely on to keep all manner of evildoers away from your home!! Surely she carries the weight of the world on her little shoulders, but she has s-p-u-n-k which is what The Red Man believes is necessary to face all danger.
Good for Cricket! And lucky for everyone else…:)
Great post!
She is full of spunk and sass and piss and vinegar – because she keeps forgetting to do her business while we’re out on our walks.
Our dog and cat companions truly are amazing heroes by nature! They look after us so well and with such humility. Sophie (my Shorkie) is willing to risk me being agitated when she barks at night, knowing better than I can what possible dangers lurk beyond the front door portal. I am so grateful for that! And my cat friends Loki and Emily are true heroes too. They have accepted to live a full life within the walls of our home as “indoor cats,” full of unconditional love despite my busy schedule. They stay close, regardless. Together the four of us comprise a Family as complete and sharing as any human family, and probably better than many!
My only quibble – Cricket is not humble. Not even a little.
What a fun story! Cool blog! Light and love, Shona
Thank you so much!
Bless her!!
Adorable! (I love her name by the way.)
Thank you!
Aren’t they wonderful! Great writing, Rachel! Or was it Cricket?
Thank you! Woof!
You are a wonderful writer. Love it!
Thank you so much!!!!!!
What a delightful paean to a superior canine! Your dogs are such characters, Rachel. They must bring your family great joy.
Thank you! They really do!
She has such an adorable face. Thanks for stopping by to like may recent recipe post (Bavarian Bratwurst with Peas, etc.).