The chief fun officer

Posted

By Michael J. Marx | PREVIEW Columnist

My name is Nugget and I’m a sled dog.

Ah, there Timber goes again. He’s on his back and Brooklyn has him by his thick, furry neck and is shaking him violently. Of course, this looks to me like he is about to die.

I can’t watch. His legs go limp. Wait; he just jumped up, ran around, and came back for more. Jeez. I wish he were that enthusiastic about pulling a sled.

Timber and Brooklyn are Siberian huskies. Unlike us Alaskan huskies, they enjoy playing more than working. Mostly he keeps pace with the team yet doesn’t pull all that much on the tug line. He doesn’t pull his own weight, so to speak. Yet as a people pleaser, he takes the cake (or the cookie). So, we call Timber the CFO — the chief fun officer. When the guests come for a sled ride, he really likes to meet and greet them. He instinctively knows how to make folks happy.

Once a little girl who wasn’t sure about getting in the sled basket for a ride started screaming. Timber pranced up to her and stole her mittens. He ran around with them. She ran after him laughing and squealing. By the time she got her gloves back, she was happy to ride. Atta boy.

Paws to consider:

Who helps you lighten up and smile?

Can you play with kids?

Can you lie on your back and let people rub your tummy?

Can you see only the goodness in others?

How can you make someone else happy today?

About Nugget: Nugget is a white-furred Alaskan husky with one bent ear. She loves to pull with her sister, Poke. They were named after a gold-mining theme. She has run in the Alaskan interior, the Herbert Glacier and now the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

This column may include both fiction and nonfiction, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of The SUN. Submissions can be sent to editor@pagosasun.com.