Living alone has many benefits.  My carpet stays clean with the exception of a few pieces of lint, and invisible dust.  My environment is always so warm and cozy.  I'm not tripping over any little people or bumping into big people.  I can curl up just about anywhere in the house and take an uninterrupted nap if I so choose.  However, the downside is that the lack of stimuli can begin to get on my nerves; especially sense I am a gregarious person who loves engaging with others.  So once a week, just to break up the monotony, I pay a visit to my daughter's house .  

 

I park the car and walk up the few steps to the front door and ring the bell.  I can hear footsteps coming down the internal stairs towards the door.  Once the door opens, I see at least four pairs of eyes.  It's my daughter and her three babies.  Before I can step in to get my hugs, the large dog charges at me barking loudly.  I cannot stand dogs, but I force myself to pet him on the head, because I realize that like the others, he just wants some affection.  Before I can pet him, mom starts screaming at the dog through clinched teeth.  "Bobo, git back in your bed right now!"  After a pat on the head or two, Bobo sadly returns to his bed.  

 

"Nani here! Nani here!" yells the two year old blue eyed baby boy.  He's the most handsome boy I've ever seen in real life.  His eyes are literally the same color as Frank Sinatra's eyes were.  

 

As I reach for my beautiful baby boy, two other grand girls run towards me for a hug.  It feels wonderful to be the recipient of so much affection all at once.  As I dig in my purse for a treat for my baby boy, I sit down on the couch and look up at the huge television posted up taking up the entire wall space.  It is loud and has a demonic movie on it as my daughter watches it in front of the kids.  My nerves can't handle what I am seeing so I attempt to entertain myself by talking to the baby.  One of the characters in the movie has distorted its body and is walking backwards towards it's mother like a human spider.  The profanity being used is profound and I am surprised that my daughter thinks this is okay to watch in front of her mother and children.  I can feel the fraying of my nerves.

 

The dog has managed to creep into the livingroom, turn in circles, and drop a pound of poop on the carpet.  My daughter is so distracted by the demonic movie that she doesn't realize what has transpired.  However, she is soon awakened by the nasty smell of poop.  Then the yelling begins again.  "Bobo, I'm gonna kick your nasty ass out of my house.  Peaches, come and git your damn dog right now.  You're gonna clean up this mess behind your dog.  When is the last time that you walked him?"

 

My senses are now in overload from the yelling at the dog, to the barking and charging at me, to the demonic movie, and the smell of shit on the carpet.  I grab my purse and say goodbye to all and out of there I go back to my humble abode where I  appreciate solitude.