Literary Yard

Search for meaning

By: Bruce Levine

Gabi was snoring. It was one of her three favorite things. Not snoring specifically but sleeping. Snoring, it seemed, at least for Gabi, was a side-effect of sleeping. Actually, it might also be a fringe benefit, but that fact was yet to be determined. Whatever the case, Gabi was snoring and it, at least, demonstrated that she was asleep.

Her next favorite thing was playing. Once again, I am required to interject a brief explanation. It seems that she didn’t enjoy all forms of play, for example, she seemed to have no interest in tug-a-war. Nor chasing after a thrown ball. On the other hand, when her fluffy hippopotamus was thrown, she’d usually run after it. Of course, that didn’t automatically mean that she’d bring it back, but rather she’d often launch into her own version of play – chewing on its fluffy body and making it squeak repeatedly.

Sometimes Gabi would throw the hippo in the air and pounce on it. Other times she’d manoeuvre it around. But, most often, Gabi would hold the hippo in her mouth and hands and roll on her back, hippo firmly grasped, and proceed to chew, squeak, and generally create her own version of what one often described as childhood bliss.

Hippo, other fluffy/squeaky toy, etcetera notwithstanding, being fully on her back, with her legs stretched out as far as possible, presented Gabi, and the world, with an opportunity to achieve her absolute favorite pastime – having her belly rubbed. When I say rubbed, I also include scratching, petting and, in general, all forms of belly massaging.

Belly rubbing could go on for a considerable amount of time and, I feel certain, could probably remain constant forever if Gabi had her way. I’m not sure that it would preclude eating and other forms of her favorite things, including sleeping, if one’s fingers and hands didn’t give out in exhaustion.

Once the actual belly rubbing ceased Gabi would usually entreat the rubber to continue by squiggling around on her back and smacking the hand of the rubber in the hope of resumption. Gabi’s entreaties often worked, at least temporarily, but once she realized that her efforts were in vain, she’d resort to her next favorite pastime, she’d roll on her side, stretch out her legs to their fullest extent, and begin to snore.

In Gabi’s world all was good. In between partaking of any of her three favorite things she enjoyed long walks at a speed-walking pace that she determined, and one simply fell into to keep up, rides in the car and generally participating in daily life, but, given the option of anything else she might choose, Gabi’s choice was always clear.

And as Gabi would say if she could – Welcome to Gabi’s World.

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