I confess, I have used the word "vicious" when talking about Potato Ed, albeit with a grin on my face. His snarling, snapping, leaping antics had me just a little nervous but given the contrast between his size and his bravado, one couldn't help but laugh. Cautiously. From a distance.
But today I made friends with Potato Ed, and he has won me over completely.
In truth, I think the transition began last weekend, when I sat with him for a while, he on one side of his x-pen, me on the other. I discovered he loves to be sung to. I love to sing, but I'm not the world's greatest singer so it was nice to have an appreciative audience. Or maybe he's deaf as well as blind and was just happy to have some company.
Over the week I've spoken to him each time I visited, and sometimes received a growly snarly response, and sometimes a happy bouncy response. But I've never attempted a one-on-one close encounter with him. And then today I decided to take the plunge. I slipped into his room (talk about privileged - he has the whole room to himself!) and sat on his red leather couch. To my surprise, he hopped right up onto my lap and made himself at home. Belly rub, ear rub, back massage…he wanted it all. And then the finale - he kissed me! A sweet little lick on the face and I was a goner. That little one-eyed dog who thinks he can take on the world has a marshmallow heart and just wants to be loved. And he has tons of love to give.
We spent half an hour watching some old western on television together - he on my lap, belly up, rolling over, head flopping, occasionally going for his squeaky ball. Me mesmerized by this muscular little man who just pretends to be tough. What an exquisitely sweet experience! See ya tomorrow, Potato Ed!