Introduction

Inspired by a "Free Puppies" sign whilst driving about town, I started to ponder this situation more deeply than the surface concept, which is the fact someone wanted to give away puppies.

Free Puppies

Saturday afternoon. July 24, 1999.
Overcast clouds, and so Son and Daughter
want their Father to take them to a park.
I oblige.

On our way, as they ponder swinging their swung
and sliding their slid, they take time,
from giggles and playful rousing,
to scream their notice of a sign on the road:
FREE PUPPIES!!!

Corralling their giddiness, they plead me to stop.
I tell them every puppy might be ugly.
Why else would they be free?
They seem incredulous, so to appease them
I explain, all at once, three things -
language, propaganda and love:

"Sometimes, words don't mean what they say;
they don't tell exact truths. These puppies
are not free. They might not cost money,
but they will require love, food and, yes, discipline.
What type of dogs are they? We don't know.
They put out a simple sign to entice us
to come in and see. And maybe, with their
persuasive language, we will force our own conscience
to agree to take a puppy. But now this puppy's life
is our sole (soul) responsibility. This puppy
will expect attention. Unlike people, a puppy will
seek out a human's warm touch. They are sometimes
discriminatory, but they will accept love from anyone
that will treat them as they want to be treated.
Humans are passive with love, and finicky,
and some lack self-esteem. Puppies aren't dumb
by accepting someone's smooth stroke over their fur coat.
They just refuse to wait for perfection.
Patience is a waste of time for them. Humans confuse
each other with their language, and it's not
always easy to gain the right meaning. So, "free puppies"
is misleading, but if we seek truth, we might
find something wonderful. Or we might find something
we dislike. But at least we took a chance at finding
truth, love and understanding."

My Daughter, the younger of the two, sat in awe
through all this, but her mouth started to fill
with a question. Euphoria!, I thought. She is prepared
to uncover truth, love and understanding!

"Daddy, what do those
big words mean?"

July 29, 1999
Richmond, Indiana

Copyright; Christopher Stolle
Email: Stolle76@hotmail.com