Dogs and Neighbors

So funny story:

I was scolding Thomas for chewing his nails when I looked out the window and noticed that the neighbor's dog was outside.

At first I didn't think much of it. THEN I realized that the neighbor's car was not in its spot. So I looked outside and saw that little girl from across the way, and she was kinda trying to keep the dog under control. The dog's name, by the way, is Kirin, not Karen lol! But at the time I thought her name was Karen.

Anyway, so I gave the girl a leash so she could keep Kirin under control and told her to come over if she needed anything. It turns out that Kirin actually busted out of the window through the screen and landed in the cul-du-sac, and she girl just HAPPENED to see her outside before she wandered off.

So after a while the girl came to the door, and we just chatted. Then we sat down right there by the door (inside the apartment, but just on the linoleum, cuz Kirin was stinky) and that's when I had the bright idea of calling Brad (that's the neighbor's name by the way) to see if by ANY chance that was a cell number.

I am so smart.

I didn't think he would pick up, and I was about to hang up when all of a sudden the phone answers.

Consider: I don't know the neighbor's name, my random phone number pops up on his cell, and he's hearing me as he answers asking the girl "what's his name??" LOL!

Eventually we figure it all out, and he tells me he's 15 minutes out. He is very grateful.

Here I am stuck with a girl who has diarrhea of the mouth. She tells me her LIFE STORY. Plus the life story of every person she knows in this world. But of course, because I am pretty good at making conversation out of nothing, I'm not helping my predicament. And besides, the only thing I hate more than rambling is awkward silence.

Adding to the weirdness, I don't want Kirin in the house. Listen, my dog doesn't smell like roses, but there's a REASON I have a hairless dog! More than one reason! I don't like that weird dander-moisture smell furry dogs get. I also don't like fleas. So we sat right on the threshold of the apartment the entire time.

The neighbor arrives happily right on cue, and he is VERY relieved to see us cuddling his dog and keeping her safe. I tell him I tried to prop his screen back up, but it didn't stay. He just thanks me up and down.

This is where it gets slightly awkward.

Look, I don't like being touched. I don't like being touched AT ALL. I suppress that aversion for snuggle times and such, but if you wanna get down to the nitty gritty, I just don't enjoy physical contact 75% of the time.

Brad, very happy and it seems very handsy, puts a polite hand on my shoulder as he once again thanks me. The problem is that I don't really know how to respond to those kinds of instances of physical contact. They're brief, they come out of nowhere, and they are over before I have a chance to even react. I can handle people touching me (limited to a few circumstances of course) IF I am prepared. But I just kinda smiled at the ...floor? I don't even know!

Anyway, so that was that. My exciting day.