The human pup

As the months with our 7-yearold pound pup Benji have ticked away, we’ve become convinced he was a human being in a previous incarnation.

Not only are his actions far different than any dog Jeanetta or I have ever had, but the nuances of his behavior just don’t seem pure canine.

There’s no question the 12-pound taco terrier is all dog. He loves every person he meets, playing with other dogs, and nuzzling our hair. But he doesn’t play with toys.

He likes horseradish, banana popsicles, coconut and sauerkraut, while regularly turning up his tiny wet nose at quality dog food. What normal dog chooses horseradish over a bowl of kibble?

Failing miserably at our pledge never to spoil the boy, we now serve “Benji Boo” thin slices of sirloin cooked rare. Yeah, I know, it’s disgusting. But it’s what he will eat and his stomach issues have since faded. Still, he knows to crawl up to Jeanetta in bed on the rare occasions when his stomach is upset and uses his expressive face to ask her for a spoonful of Pepto Bismol. He somehow knows that’s just what he needs.

I became convinced of Benji’s reincarnation the other day when he was in my lap staring intently into my face. “So, little man,” I asked, “were you perhaps a human being in another life? Give me a sign if you were.”

He perked his brown floppy ears, cocked his head to one side as if considering a response, then crept close enough to my face to lick me once on the nose. Cute. But was that really a sign?

So I took his possible understanding a step further and asked if he’d ever been human, would he kiss my nose again just once, which he did again.

Before our Q and A was over, I’d asked the same question eight times and each time, he’d leaned forward and given me a single nose kiss.

That was all the proof I needed, having already suspected the nature of his unlikely ancestral lineage months ago.

Now, I know what you must be thinking: Mike’s finally lost his mind. He’s traipsed off around the bend and thinks his reincarnated dog actually understands English. You might be right.

But when I compile everything Benji does and the way he reflects on what we say and do with such uncanny understanding, I believe I’ll hold off a spell on committing myself to an institution, as will Jeanetta, who’s become as convinced as I have about his reincarnation.

Banana popsicles, sauerkraut and horseradish, for gosh sakes?

Texas GodNod

GodNods in our lives occur at every age.

This was evident the other day when a 3-year-old Texas boy missing for days in the woods was found alive and basically well.

Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said little Christopher Ramirez was discovered by a “humble and kind man” who requested anonymity.

Many in law enforcement using drones and dogs had searched in vain for Christopher. However, the unnamed rescuer said God had assured him that he’d be the one to find the child if he’d join the search. So that’s what he did.

“I had several good visits with him and thanked him,” the sheriff told a reporter. “He replied that God told him at Bible study yesterday evening to go look for [the child] and he would find him. This morning the man did just that, and the rest is a happy ending to this story.”

Had your own GodNod experience to share?

Tice deserves Hall

The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame is in the final stages of voting for the class of 2022. There are many in the senior division deserving of being selected to the Hall this year.

My favorite is former Harrison and Huntsville High School head football coach Tommy Tice, with an overall football coaching record of 289-160-6 in 42 years at Harrison and Huntsville.

With over 450 games under his belt, Tice has led more games as a head coach in football than anyone in state history and is the third all-time-winningest coach in Arkansas football history.

Tice’s gridiron teams won the 1999 state championship, 13 conference championships, seven conference runner-up finishes, and six final-four appearances. His teams also have had four undefeated regular seasons: Huntsville ’81, and Harrison ‘89, ’99 and ’03.

He’s been an Arkansas High School Coaches Association Head All Star coach six times and assistant coach four times, conference Coach of the Year an astounding 13 times, and state football Coach of the Year in 1999; as well as the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association Coach of the Year for Arkansas in 1999. He was chosen to the inaugural class of the Madison County Sports Hall of Fame 2004 and is vice president of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation and a member of the Brandon Burlsworth Trophy Selection Committee for that national walk-on player’s award.

To know Tommy is to harbor deep respect and affection for the man and his sense or caring and dry wit. I’m hoping Hall of Fame voters will give him the honor he’s richly earned.