By Jen Griffiths
The forecast was spectacular for the coming weekend, low to mid-80s, a native California beach girl’s delight. My friend Paula decided to invite 20 or so of her closest girlfriends for an impromptu, week-before-Christmas pool party at her swim school’s large pool located just above Moss Point with a tremendous ocean view. She’d had these kinds of parties before with splashy pool games, and that crazy one she liked called “Cards Against Humanity.”
I loved going. It was always a new adventure of sorts. We were all getting a bit older, and it was fun just to be with the girls. No gossiping, just playing and letting go. Silly was high on my list.
The afternoon came quickly, and when I arrived, the tables were already filled with take-out wonders from Carmelita’s, Wahoo’s, Moulin, and Lumberyard. After joining in several water games, some played with eyes closed and some with eyes open, I headed to the food to see what I could dive into there. What a treat to fill a paper plate with the some of my local favorites! I sat next to Jodi, a friend from a Laguna meet-up group. We chatted about the food, sipping cold beers and laughing at the antics going on in the pool.
I finished eating and decided it was time to head for the sweets. As I stood before the table trying to figure out what I’d taste first, a dark-haired woman standing to my right said, “I know. It’s a hard choice.”
“It really is,” I responded, looking over the platters of Christmas cookies to my right. “I think I’ll just start over here.”
Pointing down in front of me, she said, “Do you know that dog’s name?”
“Oh, it’s Jodi’s, but I don’t remember its name.” Light heartedly, looking into its eyes,
I queried, “Hi honey, what’s your name?”
The dog sat down looking back at me and proclaimed “Charlie.”
I turned to the woman. “He says it’s Charlie.”
Just at that moment, I heard Jodi say, “Does anyone know where Chucky is?”
“Oh, that’s right. It’s Chucky,” I told the dark-haired woman.
“He prefers the proper form,” she replied.
“Wow.” I stood there a bit dazed but rather excited. It all happened so fast. I knew I was very connected to animals, but I couldn’t recall any of them actually telling me their names before. It wasn’t audible, but I heard him.
Chucky, Charlie. It was a magnificent gift on a summer-like Christmas time day.
A fine art photographer and painter, Jennifer’s work is in the City of Laguna Beach’s collection, the LA County Museum of Art, and the Laguna Art Museum; she is learning the fine art of the written word.
