サンドイッチとおにぎりの二人三脚

by sandwich " my memories of Jazz in America"

英語だよ全員集合！

We also had a double futon folded on the floor in the second bedroom, Rice ball's room. Jazz would often sleep on this low futon and stay with Rice ball if she was in her room using the computer at night even if I was in the living room (with the futon couch) using my computer. Jazz alternated between mostly sleeping on one of these two futons/couches in our apartment depending at least sometimes on where Rice ball and I were.

Jazz loved to lay in the sun during the day. He did this in Japan too. So he usually stayed on the carpet (not futon) in Rice ball's room in our apartment and would move around to get the sun through the big windows in that bedroom as the sunny spots shifted in the course of the day. He would often come into the living room to be with one of us only after he was done laying in the sun.

Jazz did not like the rain this was true in Japan too. But in America he got a lot of snow his first and only winter here. And he did not like the snow either. It was cold and he could not easily do his number 2 with so much snow on the ground.

Jazz was really such a good dog. He had a really nice disposition. He was quiet. He would only bark if someone came to the door. He did not cause trouble or make messes really. I think in 8 months in our apartment in Haverhill he only had one or two pee pee or number 2 accidents. Several times he stayed for 8 hours alone and did not go to the bathroom.

He did like to check the wastebaskets in the bathroom or the paper and plastic waste in the kitchen when we were gone for a long time. He did this in Japan too. And Rice ball always scolded him. He knew that he did a bad thing and he would hide behind my legs when we came home. Rice ball would make him come in the bathroom and show him the spilled wastebasket. She would say "gomennasai wa" and he would crawl to her and kiss her to say he was sorry. Then she would tap him on the head and say "finished". It was kind of his job to check the waste baskets because he is a dog.

Jazz drooled sometimes and he liked to lick us sometimes. Rice ball was ok with Jazz licking her on the face but I did not like it too much. It smelled bad a little and I always would wash after. Because of his drooling and licking I called him "slobber face" and "slobber dog".

Jazz liked to go in the car and if we were getting things ready to go to mom's and bringing many different things Jazz would get excited and he knew that something was happening. Sometimes he would sit by our pile of things by the door as if to say "don't forget me". He always was good in the car. He would usually sleep or sit in the back seat. Once he seemed to know where we were going he would relax and just lay down. I think he liked to go to mom's house. We told Jazz it was his Grandma.

Jazz did, however, get nervous when we both left the car and left him, like at a rest stop going to mom's or to run into a store. He would also be nervous if just Rice ball left even if I stayed in the car. He would whine and jump around and he would usually jump into the front seat when we left him alone in the car.

Jazz was clever and also sensitive. He would know if Rice ball or I were sick or not feeling good or staying in bed during the day because something was not ok with us. He would come and be by us even though he did not usually come in or stay in our bedroom. Rice ball always said that Jazz was worrying about us. Jazz also would be upset if we were arguing or, in Japan, if Rice ball and her mom argued Jazz would come and stand by me as if for reassurance that everything was still ok.