Conversations with Kay

So this weekend, we're watching Animal Cops (we like that one, the bad guys get in trouble! As opposed to E-Vets, where the animals DIE and everyone is SAD).

I should add, this conversation was doubly unnerving because Ruby was sitting there smiling at us, with much the same expression as she has in the icon, the entire time!

So she says "What are you going to do with Ruby when she dies?"

I was rather taken aback. Ruby will only be two next month after all!

I deadpanned "Oh I was thinking about having her stuffed."
Kay nods very seriously and says: "that's a good idea." (one of her trademark phrases since age four).
I shook my head and said "seriously, maybe we can bury her at your dad's place or something."

She looks at me in absolute horror.

"That's disgusting! I don't want to bury a dead dog in my backyard! I PLAY there!"

"Well what the hell it would be several feet underground, it's not like I'd just yk, put her in the family garden to come up with the tomatoes!"

"So what, that's gross! And creepy, what am I supposed to do, bring my friends around and see the tombstone and be all 'oh look here's my dead dog it's your turn on the game now!' or something?"

"HEY You were the one who wanted her stuffed; I was just trying to think of something more reasonable!"

"Aren't you American? I thought your people stuffed animals all the time. That's much more totally normal than having a dead dog in your backyard. What's wrong with you?!" ("WWWY?!" -with accompanying sneer- is another of her trademark phrases, since roughly age 3).

I stopped and just *looked* at her. "You want a dead stuffed dog hanging around the house, but not buried underground?"
"Yes. She'd look nice."

We were quiet for a moment.

"How about cremation?" I offered.

And thus, the plans for dog afterlife were settled.