Wednesday, September 10, 2008

So funny, it made me cry!

I usually wait until after I finish a book to talk about it, but I HAVE to share a blurb from my current read, Marley and Me. What I am about to share made me laugh until I cried while reading in bed last night. The book made me laugh out load and I haven't had a book do that in a long time (usually I have the little snicker to myself or the little smile on my face). It took me 4 tries before I could finish the couple of pages.

I want to share with you the funniest part of the book so far-

Background information:

Marley is now an adolescent, golden retriever puppy, who has anxiety and many other issues. He is on his way to get snipped at the vet's office. Marley had no idea what he had in store, but was excited for the car trip regardless.

Author Grogan "He was revved up and and ready to go on whatever excellent adventure I saw fit. Jenny (his wife) drove and I sat in the passenger seat. As was his habit, Marley balanced his front paws on the center console, his nose touching the rear view mirror. Every time Jenny touched the breaks, he went crashing into the windshield, but Marley didn't care. He was riding shotgun with his two best friends. Did life get any better than this?

I cracked my window, and Marley began listing to starboard, leaning against me, trying to catch a whiff of the outdoor smells. Soon he has squirmed his way fully onto my lap and pressed his nose so firmly into the narrow crack of the window that he snorted each time he tried to inhale. Oh why not? I thought. This was his last ride as a fully equipped member of the male gender, the least I could do was give him a little fresh air. I opened the window wide enough for him to stick his snout out. He was enjoying the sensation so much, I opened it farther, and soon his entire head was out the window. His ears flapped behind him in the wind, and his tongue hung out like he was drunk on the ether of the city. God, was he happy.


As we drove down Dixie Highway, I told Jenny how bad I felt about what we were about to put him through. She was beginning to say something no dought totally dismissive of my qualms when I noticed, more with curiosity than alarm, that Marley had hooked both of his front paws over the edge of the half-open window. And now his neck and upper shoulders were hanging out of the car, too. He just needed a pair of goggles and a silk scarf to look like on of those World War I flying aces.

"John he's making me nervous" Jenny said.

"He's fine" I answered. "He just wants a little fresh-"

At that instant he slid his front legs out the window until his armpits were resting on the edge of the glass.

"John, grab him! Grab him!"

Before I could do anything, Marley was off my lap and scrambling out the window of our moving car. His butt was up in the air, his hind legs clawing for a foothold. He was making his break. As his body slithered past me, I lunged for him and managed to grab the end of his tail with my left hand. Jenny was braking hard in heavy traffic. Marley dangled fully outside the moving car, suspended upside down by his tail, which I had in a position that didn't allow me to get my other hand on him. Marley was frantically trotting along with this front paws on the pavement.

Jenny got the car stopped in the outside lane with cars lining up behind us, horns blaring. "Now what?" I yelled. I was stuck. I couldn't pull him back in the window. I couldn't open the door. I couldn't get my other arm out. And I didn't dare let go of him or he would surely dash in the path of one of the angry drivers swerving around us. I held on for dear life, my face, as it were, scrunched against the glass just inches away from his giant flapping scrotum."

What ended up happening was Jenny jumped out of the car and pulled Marley back into the car and needless to say, they didn't feel bad about his upcoming surgery anymore!

That whole little blurb just sent me over the edge laughing hysterically. I don't know why but maybe because I could have visualized this actually happening with my much missed dog Rowdy since he loved to ride with his head out the window or what. But, I just had to share!

3 comments:

Kellan said...

I liked this book a lot - it is so funny and so touching!

Enjoy - Kellan

Anonymous said...

How funny! I didn't laugh until I cried, but I definitely laughed out loud =)

Thx for sharing! You going to catch the movie?

Smiles,
Amy

Amanda said...

I can't wait to see the movie!