So, we did it. We’ve sold our house. Actually, we’ve sold our house, contingent upon the inspection, which happened yesterday. I think it went well, and it certainly took them long enough- four and a half hours of dragging Nelly the dog around in the Suburban was challenging for us, and for her. We finally stopped at the local dog park to let her run around .

This was the first time I’ve ever seen Nelly attempt to socialize. She would wander up to a group of dogs and work her way around by sniffing their butts. She was trying to act casual, but her glistening eyes and protruding tongue made her seem needy. The groups of other dogs, sensing her desperation, would move off and reform. Nelly would stand there, trying to look blasé, then mosey on over to rejoin them. The dogs would put up with a new bout of butt sniffing before taking off and the cycle would begin again. This went on for a while until Nelly finally got the hint. Frustrated,  she picked a fight with a border collie and per dog park rules, had to be leashed and removed.

“Bad dog,” I told her, as we made the walk of shame back to the car, but then it hit me: despite her aggressive behavior, Nelly is no bully. She’s a misfit with a chip on her shoulder, like James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, only covered with fur and uncool. I suddenly identified with the parents at my school with kids who have similar social issues, the parents whose rationalizations always made me roll my eyes. Maybe they were right about their horrible children after all. I handed Nelly the rest of my granola bar. “Don’t you worry Nelly,” I told her. “I saw the way that border collie was looking at you. He was asking for it.”