What is that sound?

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

I turned to look. Just me and Taco Bella, the little Chai Who Ah Who Ah were home so if it wasn't me making the noise it pretty much had to be her. But from her...well, I would expect thump thump thump, not thump, thump, thump. Still, it had to be either her or my heart and if it was my heart I might have to think about shutting down the video game and visiting a hospital. So I turned to look where the sound was coming from. I looked towards the kitchen island.

It stands about 4' high. It was mostly empty except for the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup wrapper someone had left laying there. Not sure who...I am SURE it wasn't me...and as I gazed I saw 2 tiny black ears crest the counter and a half second later, there it was again. Thump. Aha! Bella is leaping with all her might trying to snatch the candy wrapper.

Because that is what she does. She looks for moments when wrappers are left unguarded and leaps upon them in a frenzy. She has a deep and abiding love for Peanut Butter Cup wrappers. And DVD wrappers. And book jackets. And...well, pretty much anything she knows she is not supposed to chew. Oh, and she knows.

Later as Bella sat in the nice leather chair while I sat in the rolling computer chair playing a video game I...err, rather, SOMEONE set a Peanut Butter Cup wrapper on the little foot rest. I heard movement. I turned to look and caught Bella's eye. And we had some sort of mind-meld. How sure am I? Let me reveal to you her internal monologue.

Wow, he is not paying attention. Check out that candy wrapper. I want it. I want it a lot. But I am not supposed to have it. Hmm. How close attention is he paying? Oops, he is looking at me. Oh, smurf, he just caught me looking at the wrapper. He knows I know I am not supposed to eat that tasty wrapper. Uh oh, and he knows I am thinking about it.

This is indeed a moral conundrum. I know I am not supposed to steal the wrapper. I just don't care that I will get in trouble because it tastes so good. It is totally worth it even if I get caught. I suppose I could pretend to not be interested and he would not notice when I made my move. But when he knows I am going to make my move and he knows I know he knows I am going to make my move it is so much more challenging and adds the edge of gamesmanship to our little tete a tete.

I suppose doing something I know I am not supposed to do when he knows I know I am doing wrong and know I am going to get caught might not be smart. Then again, how many Chihuahuas have the mental capability to hold such interesting internal monologues and have it translate into human speech? So should I do it, knowing it is wrong and I will get caught?

But wait...I think if I launch myself when he looks back at the tv I can get the wrapper and get under the dresser with it before he can catch me. But he knows I am going to try it. And he knows I know. I can't outwit him...I will have to...

About this point her internal monologue cut off as she launched herself at the wrapper. I, knowing her mind, also grabbed at it. This time I was faster. So while I got up to throw it away instead of leaving it there to tempt her, she did the only smart thing. She jumped up on the kitchen chair, onto the kitchen table and snagged the Peanut Butter Cup wrapper that was sitting there.

Stupid dog (owner).