My husband and I have an ongoing argument
over the merits of getting a puppy
Our conversations go back and forth
between pros and cons
Ping pong of Olympic proportions

puppies bring joy
puppies are work
puppies love unconditionally
puppies require care and attention
puppies are loyal
puppies chew shoes

A battle of wills
Undertaken with love
no clear winner
A stalemate

Recently we stopped
enroute to a friend’s home
lunch date scheduled

Forty-five minutes elapsed
We lobbed to and fro
merits of purchasing a
Janpanese Bonsai Maple

We were late for lunch

Peals of laughter
split the air
Our friend astutely observed
If a plant caused that much
discussion and consternation
we were in no way ready
to take on a puppy

No puppy has been brought
into our home
We do have
A beautiful new zen plant