Wrinkly Bits
A Blog by Gail Cushman
Cody, the wonder dog, is a wonder, and often makes us wonder about his lineage and heritage, unsure of exactly he where came from. He is a Cairn Terrier, the word Cairn meaning Landmark and Terrier comes from the Latin word Terra, meaning earth. “Earth landmark” sounds lovely and the AKC says he should be the “best little pal in the world,” which he is, until you take him near something affiliated with water. He has an affinity to water, including beaches, rivers, boats, canoes, and, of course, bridges.
Cody has a little fetish that seems to align his personality to his breed. Every Saturday, we, the three of us including Cody, go to the town dump (transfer station, to you more enlightened) to leave off the pile of Amazon boxes that we have accumulated that week. We live on the south side of the Yellowstone River (or maybe it’s the west side, not sure, because I am directionally challenged). In order to go to or from Columbus, we must cross the Yellowstone River, via a rather large bridge, that Cody must see as the Rubicon, the point of no return, as in what happened to Julius Caesar when he started a civil war in Rome. Caesar crossed the Rubicon River. I don’t know everything that happened, but to make a long story short: It wasn’t pretty. And Cody, with his shallow brain, must identify with Caesar.
Day or night, sun or snow, ice or water, coming or going, as we approach the Yellowstone, Cody goes bonkers, barking and jumping up on the windows, bouncing on my knee, growling while snapping and baring his teeth. He hides his tail, and I begin to think that I might be called “three fingers” for the rest of my life if he has his way, so I open the window, thinking he will either jump out or calm down, but he becomes even more agitated. Every single day. What makes him do that? An unknown troll? A rock? The ghost of some adventurer, like Jim Bridger or Lieutenant William Clark who haunts the bridge? Or the lingering scent of bison who once roamed the area? Maybe he, like Caesar, thinks it is the Rubicon, the point of no return. I don’t know and he won’t tell me. If he has dozed off before we get to the bridge, no worry, he jumps up and readies himself to bark at the…whatever he is barking at. Now and then, he will attack the unknown aura of other bridges, but usually just the Yellowstone River. I think it must be a cruel river.
Life with Cody is interesting, and as such, adds frolic and fun to our lives. He loves us as much as we love him, I think, but who really knows? As much as we love him, we can’t figure him out, maybe his ancient ancestor the wolf, had a bad day here on the Yellowstone, I don’t think he is related to Caesar, although he runs the house like an emperor, so maybe. All hail Cody! All hail Cody! And watch out for the Rubicon!
