I wasn't really planning to have Alfie and Waffles enter the costume contest. Yes, I had brought their costumes along, but I knew I would be busy helping corral the puppies and the other dogs we brought and was content just to have my two take part in the Parade. Then, we walked passed a couple of people who saw my pugs in their matching Halloween collars and they suggested that we should take part in the duo competition.
"I have better costumes than this," I announced and I ran back to the car for the kimonos. Only problem was these costumes are the kind a dog has to slip its paws into first before connecting the Velcro on the back. Alfie and Waffles would not step into their outfits or keep their wigs on their heads. The Velcro kept getting stuck on the silk fabric and tearing pieces of it. We were supposed to register our dogs and get a number, which we were to pin on their leashes. Alfie and Waffles kept eating away and stepping on their numbers until they fell off. I repeatedly placed their wigs back on their heads only to have them shake them off a moment later. I was frustrated, entangled in leashes and ready to give up. Alfie, in particular, was frustrating. People were staring at us and trying to take pictures. Waffles had wrapped her paws in my camera strap, which was also around my neck and was choking me by stepping on it. Everytime the judges looked over one of the wigs would fall off.
What the heck am I doing, I thought as I managed to free the camera. I asked someone standing by to take a picture and rather than snapping away they tried to pose us just so in the viewfinder to no avail. I finally grabbed for the camera and tried taking some pics of my dogs myself. Again, they kept twisting and twirling and knocking off the wigs. I was about to give up with it all together -- the photo, the costumes, the competition when suddenly Alfie looked up at me and into the camera with the expression above. She stared at me and I knew I was seeing her soul. My heart melted. And, the wigs didn't matter nor getting the perfect shot nor winning the competition. I forgot how aggravating the tangle of leashes and paws could be. I looked into those eyes and I saw the person she is.
Isn't she lovely, I thought.