REX AND THE CITY, Part XVIII - Bride and Groomer

What to do when your dog rolls in human excrement in Central Park

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“I tried to keep a passive face when I handed The Most Beautiful Dog in the world [who happened to be covered in human sh*t] to the most Expensive Groomer in the World.”

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This week’s installment of REX AND THE CITY is one of my favorite columns from that series (a series which, to those who are new, ran in the late, great Bark magazine from roughly 2000 - 2005 ish). It chronicles my fixation with Wallace’s good looks, and Ed’s fixation with my fixation. I always felt that Wallace enjoyed getting so much praise and attention; Ed felt that my fixation on the dog was too much. As always, both of us were correct.

For those readers who are new, this series (and the subsequent REX AND THE CITY memoir, published by Random House in 2006) was ostensibly about my dog, but it was very much about my relationship with Ed as well. I should also re-clarify that Wallace’s name was not Rex, even though we titled the series as such. Long story…..which I discussed in an earlier post.

Anyway, I am sure many of you dog-lovers can relate to some of the experiences I describe in this piece. I just think dogs—and all animals, really—are incredibly beautiful and marvelous and awe-inspiring. I love all the different colors and patterns and textures of fur. I love pink noses and dog lips. I love all of the various shapes and styles of dogs’ ears. Seeing them and touching them brings me—brings us—great joy. I can’t believe we get to live in a realm where there are so many gorgeous animals for us to marvel at. And live with. So, yes, I went a bit over the top with our gorgeous Wallace, at times. I’ll share a picture of him below so that you can behold his beauty yourself.

Now, on to the piece—pasted below as page PDFs.

This 18th installment of the REX AND THE CITY/REX IN THE CITY series—“Bride and Groomer” —originally appeared in Bark magazine, Volume 32, Fall 2005, Copyright © Lee Harrington (writing as Lee Forgotson and E. M. Harrington). Illustrations copyright Bark and the credited artists.

I have no affiliation or agreement with any advertisers shown—those are all old ads from the original print edition.