Drink your juice.

Conversations I have had with animals in my neighborhood in the last seven days:

1. [I am walking down the sidewalk when a small, brown bird flies in front of me at great speed.]

Me [apologetically]: Excuse me.

2. [I am exiting my building and a squirrel pauses at the bottom of my stoop to check me out. I give a small wave as if spotting a child I know.]

Me: Hello.

3. [While waiting in line at the pharmacy, I put my bag of groceries from a previous errand down on the floor. A cocker spaniel in a hooded raincoat blinks politely at the bag. I hold out my hand for him to sniff and he obliges. His owner, feeling our interaction on the leash but not knowing that it’s consensual, yanks the dog closer to his feet and out of my way. I purse my lips and nudge the plastic handles of my bag closer to the dog in the universal sign for “This is for you.”]

Me [whispering]: Smell the smells.

[He does.]