Photo by Bill Stokes
By Bill Stokes
Kickass, the doorstop dog, has been of little help to the keeper in explaining the mental quirk whereby he–the keeper, thinks of his mother every morning when he ties his shoes, obviously because she is the one who taught him how to do it many decades ago.
His mother also taught him many other basic survival things that the keeper does not remember to credit her with; but he hopes to retain the shoe-tying association: It is nice to ritualistically tighten up the shoelace bows each morning while having a brief chat with Mom.
It gets the day going on the right foot–with laces tied and a wonderful woman having been there to help.