Instincts, Etc.

Setting: California. Car ride home from the vet.

Characters:

Kim: The Girl.

Nina: Jack Russell. 16. Weary.

Carrie Bradshaw: Bichon poodle ... Fluffy.

Carrie Bradshaw: (indignant) How come SHE gets all the attention?

Nina: (dryly) Spare me. He examined you too.

Kim: Can it, you two! This morning has been long enough. Nina's older and has heart issues and kidney issues and seizures... and we needed to make sure she's ok.

Carrie Bradshaw: (instantly concerned; quietly) Is the old one gonna keep having seashores? Is it... her... "time?"

Nina: (trembling) What the--?? Quiet, "Fluffy!"

Kim: Nah, she'll be ok. It's not "her time." The vet adjusted her meds and -

Nina: (interrupts) The REAL vet. Boy am I glad to have a REAL vet again. I don't even mind the drive down from Los Angeles to O.C. It's worth it.

Carrie Bradshaw: (thoughtfully) Yes, he's good. Definitely worth the drive. He has good instincts.

Kim: (stops at a red light, scratches behind Nina's left ear) Yes, our vet has very good instincts. He even helped me help you when we lived on an island for awhile. Kept in touch by phone and email. You two really should be grateful to him. I know I am. He has taught me a lot over the years how to listen to MY instincts when it came to all my dogs. Even the ones before you two.

Nina: (ears perked) And thus, how to listen to us and what WE'RE trying to tell you!

Kim: Exactly.

Carrie Bradshaw: HOLD ON! You had OTHER dogs?

Nina: You don't know the half of it!

Kim starts to drive again...

Carrie Bradshaw: Light's green.

Nina: How can you tell?

Carrie Bradshaw: Instinct. (beat) And the Girl started driving again.

Nina: (whispers to Carrie Bradshaw) We REALLY should learn her name...

Carrie Bradshaw: I have an idea! Next time we'll ask the vet!

Nina: Dr. Grant? Oooh! Good idea! He'll know...he knows everything....

Carrie Bradshaw: Because he's a real vet.

Nina: (sputters) Remember that pretend vet...on the island...who wouldn't give me medicine for my seizures? Ugh. (trembling; sneezes)

Carrie Bradshaw: Now, now,... don't have another seashore...

Nina: (sigh) So close, "Fluffy,"... so close...

Fade as the mismatched pair curl up and snooze for the drive back from O.C. to L.A. ....



 ©2013

*Please refer to the introduction post in this blog for explanation and inspiration behind this blog. It is the first post and can be located in the archives. Basically, as Nina gets older, she develops various medical problems; the more carefully I listen to what she tries to tell me, the more I can explain to the vet what is happening. And Carrie Bradshaw simply goes by her full name, an comes along for the ride.