DeadStrings:I want to name him after a band that made me feel things at 14, but okay, fine—what are the Otis house rules?
StringTheory27:
Otis gets the left side of the couch.
No yelling unless it’s for joy.
Daily walks—yes, even if it rains.Especially if it rains.
You talk to him.Don’t pretend dogs don’t understand.
When things feel too quiet, you don’t disappear—you take him to the park.He’ll know.
DeadStrings:That sounds more like therapy than dog ownership.
StringTheory27:Maybe it’s both.
DeadStrings:So what—you want me to journal with him too?
StringTheory27:You joke, but Otis will probably know your secrets before your therapist does.
DeadStrings:What do I do if he hates me?
StringTheory27:He followed you once.Dogs don’t do that unless they know something.He’s not looking for perfect.He’s just looking for you to show up.
DeadStrings:Should I get a book or something?
StringTheory27:Only if it makes you feel less panicked.But here’s what matters: food, walks, patience, and maybe play him a little Otis Redding.Trust builds slowly, but once it’s there, it doesn’t break easily.
DeadStrings:Fine.But if he pees on my boots, I’m calling him Zeppelin out of spite.
StringTheory27:You name him Zeppelin, and I’m sending you a mixtape of nothing but Celine Dion ballads.
DeadStrings:I feel threatened.
StringTheory27:You are.Now go and get Otis.
DeadStrings:It’s too late.I’ll go tomorrow.If he’s still there, maybe it’s meant to be.
StringTheory27:And if he’s not?You should choose another dog.Someone to help you fill that little hole in your heart that needs love.
DeadStrings:Then maybe it wasn’t meant to be.
StringTheory27:That’s a cop-out.
DeadStrings:Or maybe it’s acceptance.
StringTheory27:No.It’s fear.
DeadStrings:What do you want me to say?That I’m terrified of bringing something home that needs me and failing again?
StringTheory27:Yes.Say that.Say it out loud.Because pretending you’re okay with him being gone doesn’t make it hurt less.
DeadStrings:It’s easier to think some things aren’t meant to stay.
StringTheory27:But not everything that disappears was supposed to.Sometimes you have to fight for what stays.Even if it’s just a dog with crooked ears and sad eyes.
DeadStrings:And what if I can’t do it right?
