I am in the water. Alfie stares at me from the edge of the pool. She doesn't quite trust me enough to get close, but at the same time looks like she is searching for a way to join me. Maybe she is concerned, maybe not. I can't exactly tell what she is thinking. She comes closer to the water and licks my face, but when I reach for her she backs away. She sports her red, doggie life preserver, which pushes her fur up, making her ruff look even furrier. She moves toward me again and when she goes in for the kiss, I grab the back of her preserver and pull her toward me. She looks abashed at being caught and disappointed in me for doing the catching.
"Hey, I trusted you," I think she might say.
She clings to me, her tiny, sharp nails pricking my skin. I hold her tight and wade back and forth in the pool, feeling her rapid heart beat against my chest. Slowly I lower her into the water and her legs start to paddle. She moves rapidly to the steps, jumps up to the edge, turns to look at me then shakes herself off. The dance begins again...she stares at me from the edge of the pool and comes in close to lick my face. I reach for her. She backs away. She moves closer and I grab her. Once again she looks surprised. We repeat this many times and I wonder will she trust me? Is this a game? What is this dance between people and animals and does she find my behavior as peculiar as I do hers?
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She is in the water. When she moves in for the kiss, I come closer. When it looks like she might grab me, I move away. I do not want to swim! She looks sad, so I move closer. She grabs me! Not fair!
"Hey, I trusted you," I want to say.
She holds me tight and I grab on. She moves back and forth in the water and I wait nervously until I feel the cold lap me. Then I get moving for all I'm worth, pumping my legs, searching for shore. I find the steps and I leap, shaking the water off me. I turn and look at her. She seems to want a kiss, I move closer. Oh no, she's going to grab me, I back away. Too late, the dance starts again. Is this a game? Will she tire? I wonder, will she want to eat soon? I hope so. I can only guess at what she's thinking. What a strange game we play.