Same-Sex Marriage?
by Maggie Van Ostrand
I'm sick and tired of hearing about same-sex marriage. Either do it or don't, but quit all the media and political harping on it. I've got problems of my own.
Not enough attention is being given to marriages much more interesting and envelope-pushing than same-sex wedlock. I'm talking about a different commitment, one deserving of full-frontal media coverage; I refer of course to different-species marriage. A real mixed blessing.
For years I've been saying, "If my dog, Moppet, had shoulders, I'd marry him," so the species I'd like to see legally permitted to marry, with medical coverage and appropriate tax deductions, are human and canine.
Well, why not? I've certainly been pawed often enough by other humans. I totally espouse the mixing of these two species for many reasons.
Moppet's much more agreeable than any human mate I've ever had, even if his tongue is black and his ancestry uncertain. For instance, on a road trip east from Los Angeles to everyplace else, he never objected when I stopped to ask for directions, he was happy with every motel we stayed at, and not once did he whine "Are we there yet?" like the issue of same-species marriages does. Whenever we got there was fine with him.
While we were driving in Kentucky, I looked over at Moppet in the passenger seat, all decked out in his black fur outfit with the white tie, the one he wears every day, and said, "Hey, Moppet, there's a road sign saying it's only 20 miles from the next exit to Abe Lincoln's birthplace. Wanna go?" He erected his platter-sized, one-up and one-down ears, wagged his fringed tail and I could swear he actually smiled at the very thought. A human partner might've insisted on staying on the main road, reaching our given destination on time, or something else equally unadventurous and dull.
Maybe he can't speak English as we know it, but I understand him. He informed me that Lincoln gave his dog the unimaginative name of "Fido." Very disappointing, considering Lincoln's genius with the language. Worse, he named his horse, "Bob," so Moppet guesses he saved his creativity for speeches. Anyway, Fido was a floppy-eared, rough-coated, yellowish dog who waited outside the barbershop chasing his own tail for amusement, while Lincoln got his hair cut.
I Googled this story and it's t. It's nice to have a learned companion.
He's funny, too. When we were in Memphis, parked across the street from Graceland and next to Presley's jet, the "Lisa Marie," Moppet's upper lip went into an uncanny Elvis-like sneer. I finally realized it was caught on his tooth, but that doesn't detract from the effect of his impersonation.
And Moppet's quite smart. When he has to see the vet, he doesn't moan and groan about hating doctors and hospitals like human men do -- he just goes right along with me without resisting. Of course, I have to drive him there because he hasn't yet been able to get a learner's permit. Bureaucratic red tape at the DMV.
Another benefit to having a dog as a mate is that I can introduce him to all my girlfriends without fear they'll seduce him. Then again, most of them probably wouldn't want to date such a hairy, short guy whereas to me, size doesn't matter.
Moppet's cooperation is limitless; we managed to get into a "no pets" motel simply because Moppet was agreeable to walking on two legs and sporting a trench coat. The fact that he doesn't smoke made it easier. In El Paso, I passed him off as a seeing-eye dog by making a fake harness for him and wearing sunglasses myself, but the trench coat act doesn't take as long.
And you can call us absolute Americans -- we're both mutts. My ancestry is also mixed.
To find out if different-species marriage is feasible, I might take him to New York, the location of Blue Sky Dogs, which arranges Best Friends Weekend trips. Blue Sky guarantees "Quality bonding time, relaxation, ease and fun," all included in the $225-$350 package, including two nights lodging, breakfasts, guided hikes, Adventure Day Trips, and more. www.blueskydogsny.com
Blue Sky also offers Slumber Party services. I'm not sure I'd be interested in opposite-species sex, although I guess, no matter who it is, getting laid is better than getting laid out.
Speaking of which, when the time comes, I want my ashes mixed with Moppet's, crammed into a tube with some TNT, and shot into the atmosphere.
That'll validate all those people who say wherever I am, there are bound to be fireworks.
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