In the spirit of a good palate cleanser, I’ve decided to share a fun little story from my younger days. It’s not just funny—it’s got a solid lesson tucked in there too, at least in my opinion.
I was probably eighteen or nineteen at the time. My dad had decided to go back to school for a second degree, chasing a newfound interest in psychology. He figured it’d fit his new gig helping people beat their addictions. Naturally, most of his classmates were young—my age, actually—so his vibe with them was more like a parent or that cool older uncle.
One of his buddies, a kid we’ll call Vassi for the sake of this story flowing smooth, hit my dad up for a favor. Dad, being the grown-up with a car, agreed to drive Vassi and his new dog to the vet. Vassi was freaking out, convinced something was wrong with his furry little pal.
They rolled up to the vet’s office and went through the usual drill: temperature check, weight, gum color, the works. The vet, after poking around and finding nothing off, turned to Vassi, looking puzzled.
“What’s the problem?” the vet asked. “She seems pretty healthy to me. Is there some behavior you’re worried about?”
“Yeah, there is,” Vassi said, finally spilling it. “Here, I’ll show you.”
He plopped the dog on the floor, grabbed both her hind legs, and lifted them just a bit. The pup’s reaction was instant—teeth bared, a low growl rumbling out.
“See! LOOK!” Vassi exclaimed, like he’d cracked the case.
The vet stepped back, processing the scene, then after a beat of silence, delivered this gem: “You’re right, Vassi, something’s wrong here. You’re doing something she doesn’t like. You should stop that.”
My dad and Vassi left the office not long after that slice of wisdom. Knowing my father, I’d bet the ride home was a riot—probably couldn’t stop chuckling.
When Dad got back, he couldn’t wait to tell me the whole thing. He was cracking up so hard he could barely get the words out, which made it hilarious to me too. I mean, how could it not?
Sure, the story’s funny—silly and all—but it’s got a little nugget of truth in it. Sometimes the answer’s right there, plain as day. Simple as that. We add the difficulty.
MenO