Making room on the couch

My wife and I were settling in for a quiet evening in front of the TV when it became obvious we wouldn’t be alone. Our two groodles, Louie and Otis, had already claimed the couch as their territory. Louie was the first to act, squeezing himself into the small space between my wife and me with the determination of a dog twice his size. Though it seemed almost impossible, he managed to fit, stretching out and settling in comfortably.

Otis sat on my left, visibly unimpressed by the setup. He clearly felt shortchanged and watched Louie with a mix of patience and mild annoyance. For a while, we all stayed put, enjoying the warmth and companionship of a quiet evening at home. Eventually, though, Louie’s plan started to fall apart. Cradled between two humans and covered in thick fur, he grew too hot. With a sigh, he hopped down from the couch to find a cooler place.

The moment he moved, Otis quickly sprang into action, his tail wagging enthusiastically. He cheerfully claimed the space between us, as if it had always been meant for him. With that, peace, harmony, and doggy satisfaction were finally restored, settling into a comfortable rhythm once more.