My Dog Thinks I Drink Too Much

One time my mother thought my dog had shit on the floor of the new house. When my mother confronted her, she cowardly crawled away and then refused to give my mom a kiss. For my mother's dogs this is incriminating evidence. If Poquito or Penny hides from my mother after an "accident" has been found, it means they are guilty. For Tegan, however, this is not always the case.

You see, Tegan thinks I drink too much. Whenever she smells alcohol on me, she stages her version of an intervention. When my mom began explaining to me how it had to be Tegan because she was acting ashamed, I quickly clarified my dog's actions.

"Mom, try to kiss her."
"Maddie, I'm not going to try to kiss your dog."
"No... seriously. I want to prove something to you. Try to kiss her."

Mom leaned in to give Tegan a kiss and she turned her head away from my mothers giving her the cold cheek.

"Now its my turn... Tegan, give momma a kiss."

Again, cold cheek.

"Melissa, try to kiss Tegan."
"No."
"No really, kiss her, I'm trying to prove she's innocent."

Melissa leaned in to kiss Tegan and Tegan kissed her. Mother and I had gone through two bottles of wine. Tegan could smell the alcohol on me, and when she smells alcohol on me, she keeps her distance. Not because I'm an abusive drunk... the exact opposite actually. I'm extremely affectionate. So affectionate, in fact, that I will come home and chase her around the house so I can hold her. Sometimes she lets me pick her up, and sometimes the act of bending over off-sets my balance and I stumbled onto the floor, her in my arms. She doesn't not care for that.

Today on my way to drop my car off, I found thought Tegan was acting strangely. She was keeping her distance and very cautiously keeping the corner of her eye on me at all times. And she was shaking. I called my sister curious if she was slammed to the floor board when staying with her, but Melissa denied it.

When I got off the phone, it hit me. She thinks I've been drinking. I was chewing a watermelon gum that smelled somewhat like Four Loko... she thought I was drunk.... and driving.

After having a conversation, I told her Mama wasn't drunk and I spit my gum out to prove it to her... she didn't believe me until the smell finally faded from my mouth.

Trust.