Brescia My ellipses,

http://childpsychiatryassociates.com/treatment-team We need to talk about what happened at the dog park today.

I know you think I didn’t see it. You think that because I was watching a husky gnaw a tin water bowl like it was a frisbee, I missed the whole thing.

But I didn’t. I have photographic evidence. And questions.

Someone, and I’m not naming names, left a rather pointed piece of political commentary near the agility equipment. A small portrait. Carefully placed. On top of what I can only describe as a pile of organic editorial opinion.

Was it either of you? I need to know. Because we have to talk about the dangers of becoming political.

Not because politics don’t matter. God knows they do. The world’s on fire and everyone’s holding a match.

But once you go down that road, there’s no coming back.

Today it’s a small portrait on a turd. Tomorrow you’re barking at a wiener dog because their humans drive the wrong car. Next week you refuse to play with the beagle because you heard where she stands on healthcare.

And I don’t want that for you.

I know it’s hard not to pick it up from us. You watch me yell at the television. You hear the things I say about news anchors that would get me banned from playgrounds. You see that look, smell that cortisol.

But here’s the thing: You still treat every person like they might have treats in their pockets. You still believe strangers are just friends you haven’t licked yet. You bark at the mail carrier not because of his voting record, but because he dared walk up to the house with packages.

You haven’t learned to hate yet. And that might be the only thing keeping me from it too.

So we’re going to keep going to the park. We’re going to play with every dog who wants to play. We’re going to wag at people we disagree with. We’re going to leave the political commentary to the humans, who’ve already made such a spectacular mess of things.

I’m not mad. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t also a little bit impressed. That took precision. Positioning. That took commitment to the bit.

Wait. Turn of phrase! DO NOT EAT.