Pure Joy by Danielle Steel Read Free Book Online Page A

subject, but I have to mention that the super grand costume prize went to Beatrix’s boyfriend, who made a costume that looked like her dog Jack, and he walked around the house dropping plastic “fleas” everywhere.
    And others must fall prey equally to that indulgence of fashion for their dogs, since I saw a Great Dane in New York in a Burberry coat and an Hermès scarf. I know I could be doing something more intelligent with my time (and money), but I’m having fun. What’s the harm in that, especially if it makes me happy?
    And not only am I happy, but so is Minnie. You can tell that she knows she is much loved. She is constantly ready to play and in good humor. She never looks sad or unhappy. She has a very good life and seems to enjoy every minute of it, with comfortable beds, a heap of toys, regular food, kind visitors (who sometimes bring her new toys), and an adoring owner. It’s an enviable life. And we improve each other’s lives. She could have wound up in a less loving home, and I could still be alone during the months I spend in Paris. And even though my griffs are loving dogs, they aren’t as playful or as affectionate as Minnie. We seem to be a perfect fit. And I do think there are good matches between owners and dogs. Some matches are not as easy and don’t work out as well. Dogs who need more attention than their owners have time to give becomelonely and depressed or resentful (like people). Some dogs live in homes where kids, or someone, mistreats them, which is unfortunate. Other dogs have been too badly abused previously to attach or even adjust. It takes wisdom, self-awareness, and a little bit of luck to make the right match.
    And sadly, some dogs are just dogs. You can get a puppy who looks cute but grows up to have no personality and just turns out to be “a dog,” rather than someone special. I’ve had one dog like that, and one of my daughters had one too. A close friend had a dog that grew up to be very dull. It was named Alice. Some dogs just turn out to be Alice, the way some people turn out to be bores. Not everyone has a great personality, and not all dogs do either. It’s kind of disappointing when you discover you have one of those. It helps if they look like they have a sweet personality when you pick them. With people and animals, I am more seduced by personality than by looks. (As one friend said about the men she dated, she had a terrible weakness for beautiful, not-too-bright men. As she put it, when she finally moved on to more interesting, less handsome men, “Looks fade, but stupid is forever.” It seems to apply to dogs too.)
    We’ve all heard it said that dogs resemble their owners, and I always wonder if that’s true. Minnie is amazingly good-natured, a little timorous and cautious at times. She likes toplay, she hates the fax machine, and she likes to wear cute clothes. (She’s gotten used to some of her outfits, or at least she tolerates them for me. We’ve compromised on some sweaters she doesn’t mind, in bright colors—purple, pink, red, orange.) So maybe we’re more alike than I realize. We both have delicate stomachs. But on the other hand, I don’t hide my kibble. At least not yet. I could do a lot worse than being compared to Minnie.
    One slightly odd thing happened the first time Minnie went to her Paris vet. I noticed afterward on the form that in describing her, he had written down that she was a white and tan Chihuahua, which wasn’t accurate. She was snow white when I got her and when we arrived in Paris, so much so that while looking for a name for her, I had almost called her “Blanche Neige,” as I mentioned earlier. “Minnie Mouse” seemed cuter and suited her better. But she was certainly not white and tan. I figured that the vet was just distracted and made a mistake, which didn’t seem serious to me, so I didn’t bother to call back and correct it.
    A week or so later, as she played in the kitchen, I noticed a small smudge on her