What's in a Name?
My name is Delilah. This wasn't always my name. Before I got adopted (you know, I'm adopted, right?) my name was something weird...like Lakota. Goodness. First of all, I'm Australian and while Lakota might be a perfectly good name for an Native American pup, what kind of name is that for a girly girly Aussie like me? I don't miss that name.
'Delilah' works for me and I started answering to it IMMEDIATELY. Phew. New house and better name. Win-Win. That was four years ago.
One day when I was being particularly feisty, Mommy yelled 'Delilah Jane' stop that!' Whoa. Who's this 'Jane' person? I apparently have a middle name I didn't know I had!! Is that cool or what? 'Delilah Jane'...sort of has a nice ring to it. I like it. I pay attention when I hear both names. It usually means I'm heading to time-out, but I still like it. Win-win again.
Living in this household, I have to be very very smart, because I also get called other things besides 'Delilah' and 'Delilah Jane'. Sometimes I'm 'Beautiful' or 'Beautiful Girl' or 'Beauty Queen'. I answer to all of them. Because I AM Beautiful and a Beauty Queen, so why not? I refuse, though, to acknowledge 'Here comes TROUBLE.' Not a good name. I don't answer to that one. Not sure who TROUBLE is, but it's not me. (Hear that, Sandy Claws? NOT ME.)
I have a couple of confusing names...like when I roll on my back for a good morning belly rub, I'm called 'Belly Girl'. I am NOT a Belly Girl...but if it gets me a good belly rub, I tolerate that one. I don't exactly answer to it, but I don't run away, either. I am much more than a pretty Belly (although I must admit, I have a beautiful one, if I do say so myself.) Sometimes that name gets shortened to 'Belle'...which is really confusing because I definitely am not a Disney princess. Not my favorite names.
One of my favorite names, though, is 'Helper Girl', as in....Who wants to be a Helper Girl?! ME!...pick ME!!! I can be Helper Girl when we get Mr. Hoover out to play. 'Helper Girl, pick up your toys'...hmmmmm. I don't think so. Or I can be Helper Girl when we do the laundry...'Helper Girl, bring me that sock I dropped.' Nope. Sorry. Helper Girl gets to go outside for yard work. 'Helper Girl, let's dig a hole here and plant a posey'...HG only digs to Turkey on the rug inside the house. It is in my capacity as 'Helper Girl' that I worry most about Mommy...she's a very very slow learner about some things. Four years in and she still doesn't get it that Helper Girl is a SUPERVISOR, not a worker. Mommy is definitely a work in progress.
Sweet Girl, Brilliant Girl, Smarty Pants (not sure if this one is related to 'Brilliant Girl' or 'Trouble'), the names are pretty endless...and I answer to all of them (except TROUBLE; not me, Sandy! Please, remember--not me!).
Delilah Jane Sweet Girl Dog Young. That IS me.
You can just call me 'Her Royal Hiney-ness' for short.
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