Years ago, my friend Shila gifted me with a mysterious box which, when turned upside down and then righted again, makes a delightful pinging sound at random intervals. The mechanism is a sticky ceiling, a bunch of BB’s, and three miniature brass cymbals. When you turn it upside down, the BB’s stick on the ceiling, then release randomly, pinging on the cymbals as they fall. I really like it.
So one day I turned it over and left it there on the floor where it attracted the immediate attention of Chet Baker, who was sure there were hoodoos or perhaps very small animals inside playing the cymbals.
Because dogs trust their noses more than any other sense, Chet tried to smell whomever might be making music in the Mystery Box.
His trusty nose providing no information whatsoever (metal has very little smell), Chet listened and looked.
He sniffed and sniffed again. Nope, no clues. But the musical pinging kept occurring, randomly. If it had been a regular sound he'd have found it easier to ignore.
Our muffled snickers notwithstanding, Chet kept at the mystery, as a bulldog will. He doesn't give up easily. Just ask the chiptymunks he corners under a big flowerpot near the Bird Spa.
He's good for a couple of hours of waiting. He's like an Eskimo waiting for the harp seal to come up for a breath of air.
My favorite photo of him listening. He looks like Ferdinand the Bull, sniffing flowers.
Finally he'd heard enough. With a thoughtful look, he turned on his heel and was done with the Mystery Box.
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