Most of my friends know (or know of) Willis Tonkin. Willis is 10 lbs of spunk, spite, love, and perpetual playtime all rolled up in the body of a Jack Russell Terrier. If there is such a thing as an animal soulmate, Wills Abner Stoltsfus Tonkin most certainly is mine. The Amish middle name is courtesy of my wife Missy, who theorized that Willis may have come from the humble beginnings of a Pennsylvania Dutch puppy farm. Willis came to us almost 7 years ago courtesy of my brother-in-law, a rental-property owner and self-proclaimed “dog broker.” Upon checking one of his properties where tenants had “skipped town,” he found Willis as a tiny puppy, locked in a bathroom, with no food or water. It was unclear if the owners had intended to come back for him. I didn’t know any of these points before arriving home that day, other than my wife’s promise that “a surprise” was waiting for me, but that we “didn’t have to do it.” I opened the door to find Willis’ buggy dark eyes staring at mine
A few weeks back, my brother and I were shopping at an area Target. When I came out of an aisle, I almost collided with a trio of college-age people. “Woah, I’m sorry,” I said, realizing I should have looked before moving into the foot traffic. None of the young folks responded to me. I said “I’m sorry about that” as they continued to walk past, not one of them acknowledging the attempt at normal social interaction. I couldn’t decide if I was more irritated or offended. Like the rest of you, I’ve experienced similar interactions at stores, restaurants, and while walking my dog Willis at the local college campus. Attempts at polite social norms (i.e., saying “excuse me,” when walking past someone, thanking someone for holding a door, etc.) are often met with eye contact and no vocal response. While such instances are usually people far younger than me, I’ve noticed more of this behavior in older folks as well. I think this approach to communication (namely choosing NOT to vocall