I was working on a letter to someone who raises chickens, and I found something to write about. Then I wrote to someone who grooms dogs, and I thought, let’s see…

I'm thinking about the relationship that a hairstylist has with their client. The client is getting more than just a service; they're getting this period of time where someone's just taking care of them, making them feel that they are important, that they matter. In other words, it’s not just a haircut; it’s a soul tonic with good conversation.

That's why I imagine my Basset, Tallulah, getting jealous as she watches her friend, a poodle named Janeane, getting a groom. Tallulah would long to have hair that needed cutting, as opposed to merely having a coat that sheds. She'd sulk, and talk about how bummed out she is that no one grooms her.

And then I imagine the friendly dog groomer sitting her in the hairstylist's chair. And yes, I know dog groomers just stand them on a table, but come on, if you're telling a story about a dog getting a haircut, they have to be sitting in a chair.

The dog groomer would sort of snip the scissors open and closed around her as if the groomer were cutting her hair. The dog groomer talk to her about things that Bassets talk about, like what kindness smells like. And then, when they were done, they'd hold a mirror behind her so that she could look in the big mirror and see the imaginary work you did behind her ears.

Then Tallulah and Jeanine would skip out, and the dog groomer would tell them to come back soon. They’d take selfies and send them to their friends.

“This is the best day ever,” Tallulah would say.