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The Way Things Are

Fun With Helium

Dear Diary,

My brother, William and I have been having so much fun lately! William does a trick for his treats. He stands on his hind legs and swipes his paws at his cheeks and ears. This is known around here as "doing ears".

William's favorite toy is the string attached to a helium balloon.

Yesterday was my little person, Joshua's, 6th birthday.

Several times I caught William all alone in the kitchen with a balloon string dangling out of reach, doing "ears" to it, hoping it would come down nicely and play with him.

Whenever one of our people hands him the string, he bites it and carries it to his food bowl. Of course once he sets it in there it floats back up to the ceiling.

I like this game, too, but I am so very much smarter than William, and so I figured out that I can hold the string with my paw by standing on it. William learned this trick from watching me. Mom was laughing when she watched him look at his paw, and move it carefully, along the floor without letting the balloon escape, so that he could sit more comfortably and look at his prize.

Mom wishes she could capture some of William's antics on video, but of course, whenever she tries to, it distracts him.

Treats

I'm sitting here, this morning on Mom's lap, watching William take his toll. He stands in the kitchen, by the coffee maker and everyone who comes for a cup or a refill is subjected to "ears". They must pay the coffe toll, of one treat, and then they are free to go.

If it was me, I'd just pounce him out of the way, if I wanted coffee. Which I don't. I don't like treats, either, or I would think of something much more clever to do.

William's Tricks

My brother, William, speaks sign language. It started as a trick for treats. It means, "I want ____." He stands on his hind legs and swipes at his cheeks and ears.

Today the humans were playing and William wanted a dart, so he did "ears". The other day he laid on his back and did "ears" for a belly rub.

He also comes when Mom whistles. I think he is either confused by the sound or else it just really freaks him out. He tries to get right in our Mom's face when she does it.

He is really weird.