What's Your Dog's Name? Nov. 15, 2026

My grapefruit-swapping-for-mangoes neighbor Heidi

lost her dog a couple months ago, but I still see her

take the same evening walk – down San Lucas Rd.,

around the center square of streets before she

heads home with head bent lower than normal.

Have you ever tried to remember a pet’s name by

trying to picture the owner saying it?  In this case,

Heidi and her thick German accent but no matter

how hard I try, nothing pops up for that slim black

dog whose muzzle frosted white in its latter years.

Perhaps it’s best to stop at this point. 

File that technique away for later, after she presents

her next dog to me and I forget that name time and

time again and ask what’s your dog’s name?  for the

fiftieth time, until even that grows too embarrassing.

Then.  That’s when my German will again try its luck.