An Update On The Things Older Italian Men In My Neighborhood Say To Me About My Dogs

Previously in this series: Parts I and II.

[Accusatorily] I haven’t seen these guys around as much lately! [I explain now that Gogo doesn’t weight three pounds he doesn’t have to go outside every hour] Hm. [Suspiciously] Okay, then.

Hey, it’s the little guys! Where’ve you been keeping them? I used to see them around all the time! [I explain now that Gogo doesn’t weigh three pounds he doesn’t have to go outside every hour] I used to see them all the time!

Where you been hiding the little guys?

They friends? They get along with each other? That’s good. That’s good, they get along with each other.

It’s the little guys! They’re so clean, these little guys. You do a good job to keep them so clean.

Where’s my little guys! You bring ‘em up here a second, you bring ‘em to me. Yeah, that’s it. There’s my little guys.

Where you been, little guys!

[On Gogo] Oh my God, he got so big! He’s not as big as the other one, but he’s gotten so big. I haven’t seen him in so long. You been away or something? Where you been? [I explain now that Gogo doesn’t weigh three pounds he doesn’t have to go outside every hour] It’s been so long.

You better get that walk in while you can! Gonna rain tomorrow. Can’t let these little guys get caught out in the rain.

My brother had dogs just like this one. Hang on a second, let me say hi. Hello, boys. Hello. My brother had a dog just like this. I loved that dog. Never forgot that dog. Best dog I ever knew.

[On hearing Gogo’s strained little howl] You barking? Little man’s trying to bark at me? That’s a good little barking. That’s good. [Laughs] That’s no barking, but that’s good. You keep trying.

It’s him! Slow down a minute. I used to see these dogs all the time, I used to see them every day, walking around. I know these dogs. You been good? Yeah, you’ve been good. [Gogo howls] That’s new! That’s new. Hah! That’s a new little trick for you. He’s done growing yet? He’s all grown up or what?

They’re both babies? They’re how old? That’s good.

I think I remember those dogs.

He gonna get any bigger?

[On his own dog] She never does that. Look at that! He’s littler than you! She never meets anybody littler than she is. Look at that, he’s more little than you. That’s nice. She never gets to see a dog she’s bigger than. There you go, that’s good.