I don't think I'd ever seen her act quite this way. Youngest son had come back from church to pick me up, and we were off to join wife and eldest son for Sunday brunch. Since she had barely been able to see her boy on his weekend home from college, I had convinced him to bring the masked heeler along.

But now, she's riding on my lap with her head and ears low, constantly turning back towards the back seat, like she wanted to crawl back there and die.

My first thought was that she was so excited about going along that she had failed to take care of some business in the yard. But in those situations heelers are usually antsy, constantly moving around, and licking somebody's face, anybody's face, to get a chance to get out and relieve themselves.

This wasn't that. She just looked miserable.

As we passed the gold course, it suddenly struck me.

Turn off your music for a second, I suggested.

The silence was almost deafening. For a second or two, there was no change. And then her ears lifted, followed soon by her head. When she was convinced there would be no more offending noises, she actually turned around, and started watching the highway, like any attentive heeler.

"So," youngest son said, as we pulled off the interstate.

"We know she doesn't like Marilyn Manson"