This is Deputy Digby Pancake.  First off, thanks for your concern this week when I wasn’t feeling so good.  It means the world to me, although, in lieu of well wishes, I would have preferred bouquets of silver dollar pancakes.  Just putting that out there for next time.

It is Thursday, and on a Thursday, you may have wondered many, many times if I know how to play the piano.  Why? I don’t really know.  But it seems like a question you might have today.

But you see, the piano is something that I have never considered playing.  They say that it takes a special type of ability to play that thing.  You have to be attentive to detail and fast, and perform many tasks at one time.  Seriously.  Unless it is putting maple syrup and butter on my pancakes at the same time, I do not multitask.  I will leave that up to piano playing cats.

So when we went to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument yesterday, I fathomed what I had been thinking of doing for awhile now.  Should I take organ lessons instead?  Seems kind of cooler than playing a piano maybe.  Could I become the best dog, organ playing Digby in the world?  It was a consideration.  I was willing to look at these Organ Pipes.

Person said that these were very special types of cactus called Organ Pipes. She said that this type of cactus is rarely found in the United States, but mostly in Mexico.  She also said that the Organ Pipe Cactus is attuned to rhythms of sun and not much rain.  It loves the heat, and the hotter it is, the better for it.  But, I was disappointed beyond all imagination when Girl Person said that if I tried to play this thing, I would get stuck.  Real stuck.

Now, I tried not to take offense at her lack of enthusiasm for me playing an Organ Pipe.  I would get stuck?  Did she not want to pay for my lessons?

She told me that it wasn’t because she didn’t think I couldn’t play it, but she said that this was not what I was thinking it was…

As I surveyed the desert before me, I thought about what I really wanted to do with my musical ability not yet realized.  Would it be worth it to play this thing and be the best organ playing dog in the world if I had cactus spines in my paws?  How would I ever pour maple syrup?  Nope.  This would not be worth it.

As I told Sheriff Brickle that his Deputy was not in fact going to be a musical genius, he told me that he had already sent out a warning to all organ teachers not to accept my application.  He didn’t need a Deputy stealing his fans away by playing an organ.  Or a piano.

Apparently, some dreams are not be realized.  My dream of playing the organ will have to be revisited on another day.  But not in the desert.  It’s hot enough out here to melt my butter before it even hits my stack of pancakes, which you did not get me when I felt bad.

But I have something to tell you about all of this. Some things you may have wanted to learn or do when you were younger may seem out of reach now.  But unless you are trying to play a cactus in the desert, you can still do those things! If you want to learn how to draw, or paint or play some kind of instrument, do it! If you want to learn how to cook, I totally recommend that.  Life is all about learning and growing.  If an Organ Pipe Cactus can grow like it does in the harshest environment ever…you can too.

So! Today we leave Gila Bend, Arizona and are headed to somewhere called Benson, Arizona for almost a week! We have some fun things planned….did anyone say the OK Corral?  Stay tuned!

-Deputy Digby Pancake

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