Patrick Is A Mean, Mean Man

So last night I stayed up late to spend time with my little foster, Dodge. He goes back to the shelter on Saturday morning and I will be sad to see him go. Dodge is a true cuddler - there is nowhere he'd rather be than on your lap or snuggled up against you. He was happily all snuggled up against me, nibbling on the sheet (a strange habit of his), while I was explaining to him that he was going to find a great and wonderful home when he goes up for adoption and that he has to be a really good boy at the shelter so that the perfect people choose him.

Pat says to me, "You are mean. He's going to wonder what he did wrong for you to give him up. If you could see his heart you'd see that you'll be breaking it in half when you take him back to the shelter. " I'm pretty sure he was trying to make me cry.

Patrick - here is a lesson for you: What a supportive husband should say would be more along the lines of "Jill, you are such a wonderful person to take in these sick and injured dogs and make them healthy so that they can find wonderful homes. Dodge is lucky to have had you. Without you, all of your fosters would either have had to spend their recuperation time in a lonely kennel with no personal attention or maybe even be euthanized. I know Dodge will find a wonderful home! He's so cute and fun - he'll be adopted right away! Don't be sad! Take heart in the fact that you are really helping these doggies that you love so much."

Ok - though it's obvious that Pat was not trying to ease my sadness at returning Dodge, I don't think he was really trying to make me cry. I think he was trying to deal with his own sadness at losing Dodge. He is always sad when I return a foster. For a guy who proclaims to not like dogs, Pat seems to really bond with all the fosters I've brought home. I tell him every time that if he wants to keep the foster, he can, but then it will be "his" dog. That way I can place the blame of the sadness back on him - I foster the dogs but he is responsible for them going back to the shelter by not choosing to keep them for his own. He's trying to make me feel guilty about returning Dodge, but it's really all his fault! See? I told you he is a mean, mean man!