I live with an alien. A small black furry creature with four legs and a constantly wagging tail. You guessed it - a little dog! A Cairn Terrier to be extact.

I was talking on the phone (at great length) to a friend and he (Jack, the dog) began looking at me in an odd way. And suddenly it occured to me - dogs don't have a clue as to what a phone is! Think about it. I know it is obvious at first glance, but think what must be going through the dog's mind. Here you are talking endlessly and it is apparenlty not directed at him (the dog). The animal can have no concept that holding an object to your ear (he doesn't even know 'ear') means you can talk to a distant person. He doesn't even know the concept of a 'distant person'.

For all intents, this is a alien creature. It has it own rules, idea and thoughts, and they have little to do with us. And vice versa, I guess. Of course they do learn to associate certain sounds we make with an event - good or bad. But beyond that - what goes on in that fuzzy little head? He is small and I tend to talk to him as though he were a child. But in truth, he is, in his world, and old man, a (possibly) Wizend One, knowledgeable in ways we can not comprehend. I guess it is a lot like when a doctor, engineer or othe educated person from another country comes here. We talk to them (and call them) like aliens or they were children or deaf (don't you speak louder when you are trying to communicate with a foreigner?

Sheese! We are such aliens.