In my last entry I touched briefly upon a quality or trait of mine about which I am not too proud…and that is vanity. Apologies yet again to Shakespeare for my bastardization of his famous line, but it is fitting, I fear. I am convinced, however, that I am not the only pug to fall victim to this affliction, nor will I be the last.
Case in point: when Grandma visited me in the fall and we were out on a walk, in freezing weather, with me cranky, whining, and anxious to get inside and consume treats she had brought, a group of young schoolchildren on a field trip caught sight of me and Lizzie. They began squealing, oohing and aahing, and begging for photos of us. Lizzie, being the introverted, camera shy, fearful little pug that she is, wedged herself between and behind Grandma’s legs in a vain attempt at invisibility. I, however, heard the battle cry, the words that always send me spinning around and striking a pose, “May we take a picture of your pugs?” Gone was the cold, the sulking, the quest for treats, and in place was a pug that would have put Madonna to shame with the number of poses struck in the space of two minutes. One inept little one struggled to get her camera working, while I, patient and undaunted froze in a charming position until the shutter clicked. Yes, I know, dear reader, you are thinking to yourself that this pug should be a model or an actor, and of course I could have been. My instincts are purely professional.
What, then, motivates my behavior? It is simple…I want to please people, to make them smile, to make them love me. Okay, it makes me feel really good too. Is that so bad? I don’t think so. It seems a win-win situation for everyone. Fortunately for me, Lizzard has no interest in that kind of attention or adulation.
There you have it…another piece of the Mason puzzle.
Respectfully submitted,
Mason
Look at me! Super Star!
A Pug’s Voice – The Next Generation 