Mister Tibbs

We have added a little dog to our zoo. His name is Tibbs… Let me relate to you how he came to join our little family.

It was a girls night out!!! Dad loves these or so he thought until the girls arrived home with a special package. Girls night out = boys stay at home and shoot one another via the computer. Good deal for both parties.

The story really starts August 1^st 2006 in which Maddie received a rat which she lovingly called Lucy. Unfortunately Lucy was the stunt rat used in many horror flicks. If you got near her cage she would look peacefully at you until she detected you were close enough to draw blood. She would shoot out at you barring her teeth ready to enjoy the taste of the blood spurting from your nose, or finger. Needless to say we told Maddie that her pet was going to disappear and never come back…. No further explanation needed.

Madeline was sad. Any who knows Madeline know of her loving nature. "I know Lucy wanted to kill us but…" No buts Maddie I am starting to have bad dreams of a rat escaping it's cage…

So it was February, Lucy the rat had magically disappeared (evil laugh inserted here). I felt somewhat guilty so as we were driving by the Petsmart on our girls night out we stopped to look at hopefully non-violent rodents. Unfortunately it happened to be "Adopt a Dog" night. We had fun perusing the doggies. One doggie was whinning—pass we have enough of that already. They had the usual assortment of big doggies one who desperately needed to go out…he left a nice stinky package for all of the Petsmart patrons to enjoy. Then there were 2 little doggies, very rodent like actually. Our mistake was holding one of them… He had this pleading look in his eyes. We could tell immediately that he loved us and wanted to come home with us. Audrey began begging "Please mom he's so cute."

I say "Who will water and feed him?"

Audrey "I will mom I promise"

I gave her the look. She tends to love all of our animals for at least a week…

I look away from her "Maddie what do you think? This would be a replacement animal for you (since her other birthday animal disappeared) it is your decision."

"I don't know Mom I think I want a little rodent type animal"

OK great! Audrey stays with Tibbs while Madeline and I peruse the rodent isles. Truth be told—I dislike caged animals, they look at you with that imprisoned desperate look and spend there lives on a wheel that goes nowhere… At that moment I decided that I was done with caged animals besides Jeff was the one that liked rats and he wasn't there (insert another evil laugh). I diplomatically talked Madeline out of the rodent idea and into the cute little dog.

I paid for him signed all of the papers stating that "I would care for him as long as we both shall live". It seemed quite that serious the adopt a dog lady seemed as if she might hunt me down if I didn't. Need less to say about 10 seconds later I had buyers remorse. I had a cell phone, I hadn't bothered to call Jeff I already knew what he would say. My motto is that sometimes it is better to beg forgiveness. My girls and I began concocting stories. We found him on the side of the road nearly killed the poor chap or he was in the garage can we keep him? I knew if I said that Jeff would make me take him to the pound—I would have to face serious adopt a dog lady or Jeff. Do you suppose they have doggie adoption enollment?? So we had to tell the truth. Confess and forsake your sins- this is the worst part, would he our wonderful father and husband forgive us?

So we hid him between us and entered the house. We found them in the office, as expected, electronically shooting one another. We walked in rather sheepishly "Dad we have a surprise…. don't get mad…. and sorry." The look he gave us when he saw the little animal was one of utter disbelief and how could you do this to me?

Months later we absolutely love our little dog. He give us circles when we get home, snuggles and amazingly doesn't pee in the house. One low point—he loves to poop in Charlies room.

The moral of the story, husbands beware of Girls night out…. It might not be as good as it seems.