Valentine's Day

My daughter goes to school with an entourage. There's me, of course. And there are her two bodyguards: Milo and Shadow.

We got Milo as a puppy and Shadow as an adult. As a result, Milo has a much stronger attachment to us than does Shadow. And that attachment is on display every morning.

As we approach the school, Sammy often will race off to join her friends. Shadow rarely notices, but Milo stays locked in on Sammy's movements. He watches her every step of the way. If a bush or a sign or another person obscures his line of sight, he dips and dodges to keep Sammy in his sights. It's not until Sammy disappears through the school doors does Milo finally turn back to the duties of our walk. Even then, he checks back on the school, just in case he sees Sammy again. What's going on in his mind? Is it anxiety that she's separated? Is it concern for her safety? Is it some form of love? I know it's human-centered thinking, but love sure does seem to be the right word for it. Also, and consider this a public service announcement, CVS has a lousy selection of Valentine's Day cards at 7 a.m. on Feb. 14.