The last few days have been quiet in The Realm. Dexter was neutered and Lady Mum came down with the Crud. No playing. No running. Dexter sits in his inherited recliner and looks forlornly out the window.
"Lady Mum. Why can't we play?"
Lady Mum looks over toward Dexter from her spot on the couch, surrounded by Kleenex, water and chapstick.
"Ah Dex. I'm not feeling good. I've got a pretty bad cold. I can't play. You really shouldn't either since you were just neutered."
Dexter sighs, "What's neutered? And how come I have an itchy hurt in the back? What's a "cold?" I wanna play."
Lady Mum grabs another Kleenex and just looks at Dexter, not sure how to explain the term neutered.
Dexter, still looking out the window begins to whine, "And why do you keep putting those white fluttery things on your face? Why is your nose so red? I wanna play. This ITCHES!"
Lady Mum sneezes, grabs another Kleenex and says in a stern voice, "No licking Dexter!"
"But it itches! Why does it itch? What's neutered mean? I don't like that word."
Lady Mum pulls a blanket up around her and replies, "Sorry Dex. You need to heal and I need to feel better. Then we'll play."
"Are you neutered too?"
Lady Mum laughs, "Yes, I guess you could say I am."
Dexter sighs and puts his head on the arm of the chair and stares at Lady Mum,
"So this is it? We do nothing?"
"For a bit. Yes. We do nothing."
"This is boring."
Lady Mum closes her eyes and says "Yep. We're quite the pair Dex." and she falls asleep.
Dexter looks at Lady Mum sleeping and says, "Something's off in The Realm" and he too closes his eyes and falls asleep.
