Sunday, July 3, 2011

Sweeping round 2

I was confident my metal broom could handle the needle teeth of a six week old puppy. I was fairly confident as that six-week-old puppy began to teeth it was just fine to consider the broom a teething toy. What was the worst that could happen to it? It was metal? It had plastic bristles?

So okay the bristles began to look like I stuck the whole thing in an electric socket, but the broom still worked.

I was still pretty confident that the broom could withstand the four month old teething period. Baby teeth out, lots of gums, surly what could go wrong here?

The tips of the bristles began to fray.
Indentations began to appear in the metal.

How the hell did he indent the metal???

The dustpan? That was history, but again, if he wants to pull off the rubber transition stopper that makes the dirt smoothly transition into the plastic holding part; so be it. I could still sweep and scoop with the intended plastic part.

And yet here we are at six months of age, and just a week previous, I began sweeping my floor as usual. Dodge, shift right, left, toss a hip at Orion to avoid the inevitable. But alas, he snuck around me, jumped at the broom, and boom. With great horah, the broom had it's final dance and the metal gave in and snapped. I lifted the broom to a dangling set of frayed, plastic yellow bristles.

Great. Have to get a new broom. I'm broke.

So today, the new broom is back. Christened at night when Orion discovered it's where abouts and pulled it into the room and onto the bed, wherein he proceeded to rip off the plastic keeping the nice tidy bristles in place. I have filled a Kong of peanut butter, thinking perhaps this will trump the interest in the broom. Momentarily it does. I get one room down.
Next room.
I fill the collapsed milk jug with a handful of kibble. Toss it in the kitchen. He goes for it. Bedroom gets done.
I go to the studio, begin my normal routine, sweep, shift, left, right, left, right. Orion goes in for the grab, Suddenly the broom is yanked left. I lift it, shaking as move towards the doorway.

"This is new. Let go. Oooorrrryyyiiiiooooon... let go." I shake again, depositing him on the floor outside of the studio. Quickly, I scamper backwards, tossing the baby gate between us and collect my shrewn pile of dirt. Peacefully sweeping without the distraction of Orion.

I look over at him. Where is he?

Suddenly, the gate crashes down, Orion shoves his head in from the right and does a giant, spread eagle leap for my pile. Thrilled to death he not only made it into the studio, but because I'm so temporarily stunned, he grabs the broom bristles and shakes them furiously, scattering my pile to the four corners. I just laugh. That was the best triumphant leap I have seen in awhile.

"Okay buddy, let's go get you some more peanut butter."

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