Barry is a chihuahua, and so little and old, I'd have to lift him up so he could bite me on the butt.
"Why do you want to bite me on the butt," I asked Barry.
"Because you ignore me," he answered. "What does a dog have to do to get some attention? And it wouldn't hurt you to pet me once in awhile."
"I'm sorry Barry," I said as I lifted him on to my lap for a good petting.
A bit later as I walked home, my neighbor Tom was anxious to tell me a sports story, the same story he had told me several times before, so I smiled but tuned him out. He noticed.
"It wouldn't hurt you to give me some attention," he stated. "I always listen to your stories."
"You're right Tom, I'm sorry." Tom is a very nice man, and I gave him my attention.
"Well, you finally got home," said my wife Anne, as I walked through the door. "Where were you?"
"I was petting Barry and then listening to Tom," I replied.
"But you have no time for me," she snapped as I was turning on my computer.
"Yes I do," I answered, as I turned off my computer and turned to her, while she began telling me about her day.
That night as I laid in bed, I realized everyone needs attention, that in that regard there was nothing unique about Barry, Tom or Anne.
Without attention we all act out to get that attention, or we wither in frustration.
The next day, I went back to see Barry the chihuahua.
"Barry, you did me a real favor in showing me how self-absorbed I was," I said as I lifted him on to my lap for another good petting.
"Yeah, you needed that," Barry replied. "And never forget that if you go back to your old ways, with your help I can still bite you on the butt."
Dick
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