THE SIN OF JEALOUSY

I admit that he is good looking and at a pinch I would go so far as to say that he even has a certain bad-boy charm that I don't have. My partner had divided her attentions between the two men in her life and I would be frequently kicked out of bed to pay the bills while her younger 'naughty boy' would be commanded to jump into bed for a quick cuddle. Such is the pampered life of Oskar the Beagle. Unhappily, I would drag myself into the cool night air just as Oskar would pass me with a smug and dismissive smirk that he cultivated just for me.

It would be a sad and pathetic man that would become jealous of a mere dog, besides I am smarter than the average Beagle and so I decided watch and learn from my nemesis.

With notepad in hand I observed each of Oskar's postures and I came to the conclusion that his charm boiled down to just two factors. One, his beautiful velvet like fur and two, the softest and saddest eyes in the dog world.

That evening, despite the warm and balmy night, I reclined in the lounge in my new winter thick velvet brown dressing gown. With my head in her lap I gazed up with my eyelids in a hypnotic slow blinking rhythm. She affectionately smiled and I casually slid the tip of my tongue lazily between my teeth. I had mastered Beagle charm.

"Aren't you hot in that ?" she said patting my newly acquired fur.
"A little…" I replied and I gave her a watery-eyed sorrowful look to eek out the sympathy. She reluctantly stroked my sweaty hair.
"Look, just put on my thin dressing gown and you won't be so hot." She commanded.
By the time I came back dressed in an ensemble of pink care bears and love hearts Oskar had nabbed my spot. He was smirking and whispering "loser" under his doggy breath.

Not to be outdone I returned from the kitchen with a row of dark chocolate and sat next to Oskar. Moments later long slippery saliva drool hung ungraciously from each side of Oskar's lips. The spell of his charm was lost and he was unceremoniously placed at the foot of his mistress. Proving in the competitive world of relationship affection, brains outperforms charm.