This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle.  You know, it is not often that I want to…well…be available.  In fact, I would love to carry around a “Closed” sign most times.  “Closed for conversation.”  “Closed for annoying banter”.  “Closed for maintenance”.  Because yes, my friends, it takes time to keep this physique in perfect working order. And because of that, I usually have no time to talk, unless it is about myself.

But I have learned a lot on this trip, and one thing is that I need more persons to talk to about myself.  I only live with two persons who pretty much know how awesome I am.  But what about everyone else?  And actually, talking to my persons and Deputy Digby day in and day out is getting old.  So I decided yesterday to seek out some neighbors to talk to.

Not all neighbors it seems are as thrilled to know me as I would like.  Some seem to run from my brindle beauteousness.  I guess it is too much for them.  Some don’t let their furkids talk to me, or let Deputy Digby try to hump them on Wednesday or Tuesday. Or even on Friday.  And I may not seem very approachable, mostly because I don’t want to be approached.

But it seems that a few neighbors of ours have taken a liking to this face.  And I have to admit, I changed my “Closed for business” sign to “Open for a few minutes”.  Because I kinda like these neighbors too.

When someone takes time out of their day to say hello and mean it, you should say hello back.  Even a Sheriff like me recognizes that being nice is a rare thing lately.  People are caught up in their day, busy as when Deputy Digby plows into a plate of pancakes.  But if someone makes time for you, make time for them.  We miss our family back in that Florida place.  And we feel really alone so much of the time.  Isn’t it funny, how even if you are with a million people in a campground, that you can feel alone?

And isn’t it not funny that we can count on one hand the amount of times that someone has been overly nice?  So I will put away my closed sign for our camp neighbors until they leave.  Every day, they tell me and the Deputy good morning, they make sure we are feeling ok, and they invite us to their campfire.  They talk about dogs they used to have, and how special they were.  And maybe I can help them remember for a little while. Doesn’t seem like such a big deal, but it is a big deal, and I am going to admit that right now.  My perfect appearance may put off some, but underneath this brindle exterior, I am more grumpier than I appear.  I am more irritable than I appear.  But these campground neighbors seem to like that.  And I like them.

So if you haven’t put away your “Closed” sign for awhile, maybe you can today.  Say hello to someone and really mean it.  And maybe then someone will say to you, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”

-Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle

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