another. fishy Something 8 from page Connection, Longwell feels he has a firm grasp on his animals as well as the types of people who are drawn to them. People who are interested in fish arent looking for a companion, theyre he says. Ive more aesthetic-oriented- ," seen some handsome dogs in my life and some beautiful cats, but people typically get one because they want a companion. Not many people are companions with their fish. Note Longwell says many, but not all. He says he has one customer who has an unusually close relationship with his pet fish, a Picasso trigger. She lets him pet her and feed her from his hand, he says, adding this is the exception to the rule. Most folks are content admiring their fish from afar. Aside from the sublime advantages of owning fish, Longwell says there are more practical reasons. Theres no hair and you dont have to clean up after them, he says. Barb Stone of Bayfield is one such customer. Although she has had several pet iguanas and lizards over the years, the mere mention of snakes sends her running for the door. I like lizards, not snakes, she says. It is a compulsion she struggles to explain, yet one she knows people harbor toward what she sees as her cute and cuddly giant pet lizards. I used to walk around with (my iguana) on my shoulder, she says, It used to freak people out. But (the iguanas) are really laid back. And while the shock value of owning an exotic pet such as an iguana or a snake may be a selling point for some people, Longwell makes sure its not the main one. I try to be conscientious about who I sell to, he says, adding that potential pet owners usually get the third degree. He admits it's not always a profitable business practice, but one that allows him to sleep at night. Id probably sell a lot more reptiles if I didnt ask 20 question, he says. By critAs for Longwells the time Im done, I've lost a prospective buyer, but Ive saved an animals such as tarantulas snakes, lizards, ters, and frogs, he says people attracted to life. B them are more of a particular lot. Either you like them or you dont, he Missy Votel is the editor and resident says. There are even divisions among these types, with some having an affini- snake and tarantula handler at Cross ty for one while reviling in horror at Currents magazine. land-lubbi- ng He said, she said from world with their cat. Cats stay at home. Just the way women used to. page 7 and broke his tail. So at a young age, he became very of his size. s Is No monkeying around... free cruise from Northpoint See the store for details. your dog a magnet for the opposite sex? W: Very much so. A woman sees a guy a dog and thinks, Oh (sigh) he's got Do you see yourself reflected in your a dog. But a guy sees a woman with a dog? dog and thinks, Oh bummer, she's got a W: No. N: Cody's very much like me. Big, clum- deg with and insecure. And his obsession with food is scary. It's a complete parallel because I was actively bulimic when I got sy him. What's the most touching thing your dog ever did? W: When I had Peggy for a month or two, I left her and my cat outside. I went out to call Peggy and she just flew off the top of a building. She had followed the cat up a fire escape, but she was so focused on coming to me, she jumped off the roof. Luckily, she was all right. N: Once, we were with a group of kids and Cody put himself between a rattlesnake and the kids, and got bit. And he still wouldn't back-of- f until I got the kids from the snake. away What do you think about the age-olimage of a boy and his dog, " versus girls ond cats? W: It probably refers to when a boy would go fishing or something like that, and his dog would be by his side. N: Dogs go out into the world. And women didn't go out in the world as much. You don't think of a person going out in the d N: Cody's like a repellent. How do your dogs respond to girlfriends and boyfriends? W: Peggy loves women. She'd probably wish that she could go home with that woman. N: Cody does not take to men. He likes them but, really, he's waiting the whole time for the guy to go. He'll start barking when it's taking too long. He wants me to himself. Are you affectionate with your dog? W: I'll pet her and start getting real close to her and maybe make kissing sounds, but if kiss her, I kiss her on the head. I'm not into the dog lips and my lips I connection. N: My favorite thing is to bend over and just grab Cody. A big embrace. But, when it comes right down to it, Cody is not that FrccDcWeruh tv for comen Financing snuggly. I'm more affectionate than he is. He just wants food. e writer who Caroline Arlen is a has been wrongly accused of forging the school signature on Finnegan's puppy free-lanc- Vjf7 NORTHPOINT HOME FURNISHINGS 1315 Main Ave. Durango 247-295- 9 diploma. Mcrch 3, 2000 - Cross Currents 19