“Dear Mom
that time
I told you
that Catherine
would get
me a dog
that will be
soon.”

– Jeb, 6.5 years old

This is the dog harbinger.  A reference to an agreement made with Auntie Catherine that she would get Jeb a dog when he was 10, if it was OK with me.  This foretelling was folded neatly inside a special box, which was conspicuously placed in the middle of the kitchen floor – no one in sight.

Is it an indication that they’ve revised their agreement?  Or perhaps he misunderstands…

I can’t help but think that a greater force is at work with this cryptic message.  Like it’s some way to remind me that he’ll be 10 so soon.