Silas is a Coward

Our weather has been crazy lately. Not crazy in the sense that most of you are getting, what with the freakish cold and the snow. No, our crazy is of the 80 today, 40 tomorrow kind.

It’s hard on everybody, people and animal alike, and one of the things we’re getting is a lot of lizards in the house. Yesterday morning the lizard of the day was on the rug, where Silas sits before he goes outside.

First thing in the morning, Silas was going to be a tough guy and chase the lizard away, like he delights in doing on the patio. The poor lizard was half frozen, so, unlike his speedy brethren outside, he let Silas get quite close.

Then the lizard moved.

Silas backed up as fast as his little legs would carry him. For the rest of the day, he played an elaborate game of “if I don’t see it, it isn’t really there.” I don’t know how he avoided the lizard so completely without ever appearing to look at it, but he did.

My husband and I have the conversation, from time to time, about what Silas would ever do if he actually caught a squirrel or a cat, both of which he “hunts” mightily through the patio window. I’ve long held the opinion that he would be terrified of these things up close. I’m counting this as evidence on my side.