The puppy is adamant, as only she can be when her determined little soul is focused on her determined little belly.  She cruises the kitchen counters with a thoroughness to make Julia Child blanch. 

“Brisket!  Brisket!”  she chants.

I offer her a MilkBone as an appeasement. 

“I said brisket, not biscuit!”  The puppy gives me The Look which adds “idiot” to every statement she makes.  “I want brisket.  Gimme.”

“There isn’t any more.  You ate it all.  Actually, you stole it when my back was turned.  If you hadn’t stolen it, you’d have some now, wouldn’t you?”

“Nope.  Because there isn’t any.  Why isn’t there any?  I want brisket.  It’s wonderful.”

“I bought that piece on sale.  There isn’t any more at the store right now.”  I’m trying very hard to keep the exasperation out of my voice.  Patience, patience…

“Why was it on sale?  People just don’t know good when they see it.”

“Jewish people like to serve brisket on holidays, and there aren’t many Jewish people around here where we live, so after the holidays it goes on sale.  I bought a few pieces.  I froze them.  You ate the last of it.”  Please, please let this be the end of her nagging.

“What’s Jewish?  Are we Jewish?”

This could go on for a while.  “Well, I prefer to be nothing, and by being nothing I become everything.”  Oy, vey--- this is definitely not going to work.  A little too ex-hippie for the puppy.  I try to roll out the we-are-the-world welcome mat.  Time for a bit of philosophical instruction.  “I don’t like to separate people by their religion or color or nationality.  When you do that, you can become prejudiced very easily.  And prejudice hurts everybody.  Just look at you. When people see that you’re a Doberman, they’re afraid of you.”  As well they should be, but not for the reasons they think.

“I’m special.  I like being special.  What’s wrong with special?”

“Special is only when you yourself have earned it.  Nobody is born special.  Everybody has to earn it.”

“Have I earned it?” 

“Well, actually yes, in your way, I suppose you have.”

“Okay then.  Gimme brisket.  I’ve earned being Jewish.  While you’re at it, throw in some matzoh.”

Mazel tov !