In The Arms of Your Significant Being: Pravda

Velma has a small dog named Pravda. It's one of those brown furry pushed in the face kind of dogs. She's told me the name of the breed countless times but I never make an effort to memorize it. He's a cute on though. Big eyes and he looks like he's wearing black boots as the fur around his feet go from brownish to black. I always tell people it's the same dog that was in the movie, "As Good as It Gets."

I also love his name: Pravda. I asked Velma why she chose that name and she told me she heard it mentioned in some Asian movie she rented. There was some comment that it would be a good name for a dog, and she apparently concurred. Made sense to me too.

Pravda was the one thing which brought calm and solace to Velma. He would keep her company at her flower shop all day and watch her tirelessly with those big oversized eyes. I liked him as he wasn't a yapper. I told Velma he was really a big dog that got zapped by one of those "Honey I Shrank the Kids" kind of machines. Velma always wondered where I got my sense of humor. Most people did.

I would sometimes relieve Velma and take Pravda for a walk when she was busy with her store. Pravda wasn't a sissy dog so I didn't mind. I also didn't mind the o-h-h-ing and a-h-h-ing he would get fromm New York's most beautiful women. Velma had a name for this: Stargazing. She told me that it was the same look I got whenever I would stare at my favorite flower, the Stargazer. She explained that I get this intense look with a touch of curiosity--like a boy who couldn't believe that these buds unveil into this unimaginable blossom of beauty. Later in life I will discover my true favorite, the Asian Stargazer. A smaller, more delicate version with a orange and yellow hue. I especially like it as it doesn't produce the overwhelming perfume. Subtle, just like Velma.