Rico & Tallulah, Sittin' in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

 

 

Well, actually, not really in a tree, as that would be a sight to behold, but Tallulah and Rico are indeed in love.

 

 

Tallulah used to have another boyfriend, an older gentleman named Beau, but she was too much woman for him. Actually, she just had too much energy for his old bones. He would play with her for about five minutes, then hide under his dad's truck to get away from her. Beau is content to live out his senior years in the comfort of his home, quietly gnawing on bones between naps.

 

 

Lonely, Tallulah turned to Rico for solace and companionship.

 

 

Did I happen to mention that Rico is a rabbit?

 

 

Rico belongs to a neighbor who apparently does not want a bunny in the house. He runs loose in their backyard, escaping every day through a hole in the gate. When Rico sees Tallulah and I walking, he comes running up to us, zigging and zagging wildly, jumping like he has a spring in his butt. His gymnastic feats earn a solid "10" from Tallulah and I. I've been told that this bunny behavior is called a "binky" and is a sign that the rabbit is happy.

 

 

For her part, so is Tallulah, although she expresses her happiness in a different form. Every time we near Rico's house, Tallulah excitedly looks for him. It's an intense search that sometimes involves crouching to peer under cars, sticking her entire head into bushes or even attempting entry into Rico's home. If she doesn't find him, she pouts all day until her next walk. If she does catch sight of him, her walk slows considerably. A slave to her instincts, Tallulah goes into stalk mode, as she ever so slowly makes her way to her love. Once she reaches him, however, Tallulah does not pounce. She kisses him all over, tail wagging a mile a minute. She would stay there for hours if I let her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually, I drag her home, and when I say drag, I mean that literally. Anyone who has ever tried to force an unwilling dog into the vet's office, or even a bathtub for that matter, knows exactly what I mean. Tallulah is determined not to go home, even if it means lying down right in the middle of the street. I'm sure I have become the early morning and late afternoon entertainment for my neighbors, as I struggle and strain to force her to move. Eventually, we get home, dirty looks from my dog all the way.

 

 

Nice to know that I now play second fiddle to a rabbit.