OOM: ending up with more than just information.
Before he'd even chosen a new world, Cal had planned to have a dog. To that end, he did a lot of research in the last couple of weeks. He read a book, talked to Julie and Ayuko about their dog, and, while Sam Puckett's suggestion of running an Internet search on the phrase "small dogs that don't suck" wasn't very helpful, it did point Cal to the obvious idea of searching for local breeders. He ended up with half a dozen names of people in the area who bred some of the smaller dogs (and searching for those breed names individually did, in fact, reveal which of them did not suck), which was a start. His reading had been clear, however, about the need for good, responsible, humane breeders, and Cal was a bit wary of the Internet's ability to provide this information. After some thought, he concluded that it would make sense to ask at the local animal shelter. After all, who would be more invested in sending him in the right direction than someone who dealt with what happened when pets were no longer wanted?
(Cal's logic is a beast of its own sometimes.)
He knows, of course, that the woman he's going to see, Elaine Yolland, will try to talk him into taking a dog from the shelter. He's prepared for that. He knows what he wants. He has nothing against mutts, but he wants a purebred. He wants to know exactly what he's getting, no surprises, so he can know exactly what he's doing and minimize his chances of fucking this up.
Not twenty minutes after he enters the building, Elaine is introducing him to Penny.
"Penny isn't a mutt," she's explaining, "she's a puggle, a recognized breed that's a pug-beagle cross. She fits your criteria, Cal - puggles are very friendly, smart, and do just fine in an apartment. There are some drawbacks, they tend to inherit the defects of the parent breeds, I'm afraid you won't be able to take her for long runs, but they're sweet and loyal and not the obnoxious yappy type." She chuckles knowingly. "And the fact that you're so committed to being a good owner means that you fit her criteria, too."
Cal kneels and Penny sniffs at him intently before licking his hand. He smiles, brightly pleased, and settles on the floor to pet her. She loses no time in climbing into his lap, for all the world as if they've known each other all along.
Elaine keeps talking, telling him how Penny's previous family had to leave suddenly, and how she has a solid foundation in training and socialization which Elaine thinks will be helpful to him as a first-time owner, but it's obvious to everyone in the room that the deal is already closed. Cal arranges to pick Penny up the next day, after he's bought everything he'll need to have her in the apartment.
It's another hour or so before he can even bring himself to leave.
(Cal's logic is a beast of its own sometimes.)
He knows, of course, that the woman he's going to see, Elaine Yolland, will try to talk him into taking a dog from the shelter. He's prepared for that. He knows what he wants. He has nothing against mutts, but he wants a purebred. He wants to know exactly what he's getting, no surprises, so he can know exactly what he's doing and minimize his chances of fucking this up.
Not twenty minutes after he enters the building, Elaine is introducing him to Penny.
"Penny isn't a mutt," she's explaining, "she's a puggle, a recognized breed that's a pug-beagle cross. She fits your criteria, Cal - puggles are very friendly, smart, and do just fine in an apartment. There are some drawbacks, they tend to inherit the defects of the parent breeds, I'm afraid you won't be able to take her for long runs, but they're sweet and loyal and not the obnoxious yappy type." She chuckles knowingly. "And the fact that you're so committed to being a good owner means that you fit her criteria, too."
Cal kneels and Penny sniffs at him intently before licking his hand. He smiles, brightly pleased, and settles on the floor to pet her. She loses no time in climbing into his lap, for all the world as if they've known each other all along.
Elaine keeps talking, telling him how Penny's previous family had to leave suddenly, and how she has a solid foundation in training and socialization which Elaine thinks will be helpful to him as a first-time owner, but it's obvious to everyone in the room that the deal is already closed. Cal arranges to pick Penny up the next day, after he's bought everything he'll need to have her in the apartment.
It's another hour or so before he can even bring himself to leave.