Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions. Here, we’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together.
This month, Charlie gets a return gift from the sea, and is inspired about the potential of glass bottles.
This month the temperatures are soaring in Myrtle Beach, so I’m headed to the ocean more often to get my doggie paddle on. I don’t mind that I have to visit the beach in the early morning hours (I’m not allowed on the beach past 10am)— it helps me start my day feeling refreshed and invigorated, having begun it with some exercise and some conversation with others of my kind doing the exact same thing. At any rate, my morning rambles have led me to exploring every inch of our beloved beaches, and I’ve unearthed some interesting finds— seaweed, seashells, old coins, and most recently— a glass bottle!
Now this latter discovery was especially exciting for me, as last summer I came across an old bottle in my kitchen cupboard and decided to turn it into an international calling card. (For those of you who missed it, you can read about it in my post “The Search For a Kindred Spirit Across the Ocean.“) I penned a note and slipped it inside, and set it across the ocean to meet its fate where it would, fantasizing about who might find it and become my new pen pal friend. But I lead such an interesting and varied life, I forgot about it entirely.
So now, here I am, one year later, and a bottle has found its way into my paws. I carried it home— wanting to savor the suspense as long as possible. Unfortunately my doggie brain, while able to recall more than most of my kind can, cannot extend back to the previous year to recall the esthetics of the original glass bottle. So no hints there. This one is corked. A promising sign. I carefully pry open the lid, and to my delight there is a note folded up inside. It reads:
Dear Charlie,
My name is Ludovico, and I live by the ocean in beautiful Positano, Italy. I am a Volpino Italiano breed. I’m completely adorable, but also very brave by nature. My people have a boat and took me sailing in the Mediterranean with them. They enjoy fishing, and that is how we discovered your note in the bottle. What a fun surprise for us all! It was quite grimy by the time we received it, and it must have been floating for some time just waiting for me. Yes, I’ll be your pen pal. You should come visit. I will protect you if you are frightened of boats. You sound popular and smart and I’ll bet we’d have fun fishing together. I love secrets and have decided to keep our pen pal friendship as one. Well, except from my people, because we found your bottle together. Although I saw it first and was barking to alert them. Write me back.
Ciao!
Ludovico
I’m so excited about my new friend. Maybe I can go visit! Maybe he will share some Italian recipe secrets with me. At the very least, I’m sure he has an excellent fashion sense and will help me brush up my coiffure so I remain my adorable looking self. I can’t wait to see how our new doggie pen-pal relationship unfolds.
I will keep you posted.
Until next time,
