The canine abandoned the wild for a belly rub.

My husband threw a stick and Dan ran to get it, then brought it back. Husband praised Dan and threw the stick again.

Dan looked incredulously at my husband, then away at the stick, then sat with his back to my husband. His attitude clearly said, "I brought the stick back - why the FUCK are you throwing it away AGAIN?"

On the other hand our other dog would fetch as long as your arm held out. Dan would lay to one side watching the other dog, not quite laughing out loud at his antics.

When their parrot was younger, my parents spent a lot of time teaching it to sing or whistle different songs.

Now the tables have turned. It's been making up tunes and teaching them to my mother. Some of the notes are a little out of her whistling range, though. So the bird demonstrates, she tries to copy and screws it up. He repeats, she tries again. When she finally gets it right, he nods and is done.

... the ending speaks to this.

-- Mal

Thanks

But save a tree and all that.