My having a new puppy is a boon to Seattle folks, who get to
- appear to be friendly while
- slavishly avoiding any semblance of actual human engagement
"How's the puppy?" they ask. This greeting will be the sum of our conversation.
How do you answer that question? Fredo is a puppy. He eats. He craps. He plays. He occasionally chews something he shouldn't or goes #1 in the house. Man, is that ever spine-tingling stuff. Alert the media. In fact, you're on to me. I only got Fredo for the anecdotes.
On a couple of occasions, someone has drilled deeper by asking the question "How are the dogs getting along?" When I say they adore one another, the person instantly loses interest, very much like I do when a woman says she has kids. I'm not sure what these people are panning for, but it ain't gold.