Magpie

You know how magpies are supposed to be attracted to shiny objects?  Well, call me a magpie because I have the exact same fascination.  I’m drawn to shiny things.  I can’t ignore them.  Here are some of my favorite shiny things:

Buttons on Ma’s Pants:  There’s a certain pair of jeans that Ma wears that has protruding metal buttons running down the sides of the legs.  Without fail, while lounging with her on the couch, I discover these buttons and start nibbling on them.  Usually Ma doesn’t notice at first, but eventually she does and has to pry the buttons out of my mouth and cover them with a blanket or a pillow to keep me from gnawing on them further. 

Pa’s Bracelet:  Pa wears a metal bracelet on his right wrist which just happens to be the side I sit on when he and I are watching TV (okay, he’s watching TV and I’m mooching ear scratches).  After a few minutes of scratches, when Pa is good and distracted by the television, I start nibbling on his bracelet.  Eventually, he too notices what I’m up to and starts contorting his arm to get the bracelet away from me. 

Zippers:  Many a time someone in my family has noticed that a coat, seemly abandoned over a chair or on a doorknob, appears to be moving on its own.  It’s only after getting up and investigating that the reason for the movement is discovered:  I’m either lying underneath or standing alongside the coat, gnawing away happily on the zipper pull.