Styrofoam Peanut

There are many differences between Pepper and Basil.  Pepper is a more stand-offish dog than Basil.  Usually Pepper prefers not to be held – in contrast to Basil who is a baby always needing attention.  Pepper doesn’t like her belly rubbed.  If you rub Pepper’s belly, she sneezes.  Sometimes Pepper doesn’t want to be around people, namely me.

I’ve decided to give my dog Pepper a nickname.

Her nickname shall henceforth be:  “Styrofoam Peanut”.

I think this is a very accurate nickname for her because Pepper and the average styrofoam peanut have many things in common.  Such as the following:

  • Both do nothing all day.
  • Both spend most of their life in a box.  (See note below)
  • Both seem to be fully content existing as two separate forms of box-fill.
  • Both react the same way when I throw a ball and excitedly say “Go get it!!!”
  • Both react the same way when I attempt to get either of them to perform tricks for guests.
  • Both are equally unexcited to see me when I get home.
  • Neither can justify their existence or purpose.
The only differences are:
  • I don’t have to feed the real styrofoam peanut.
  • The real styrofoam peanut seems to somehow possess the ability to keep itself clean.
  • The real styrofoam peanut doesn’t give me a guilt trip when I remove it from its box and attempt to give it attention.
  • The real styrofoam peanut is not a 10-pound, four-legged hair factory disguised as a little black dog.
I think this is a nickname well suited for Pepper.

Note:

This is Pepper’s choice – so don’t think I make her stay in her box.  In fact, on a few occasions I have called Pepper out of her box, and then closed the door so she can’t go back in.  Then she gives me this look like I just took something away from her that she likes.  Somehow Pepper, even though she is only one foot tall, has the power to make me feel guilty for doing this.  It’s almost like I feel that I’m “punishing” her by making her come out of her box.  I can’t figure this small animal out, so I open the door to her box and she happily jumps back inside.
 

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