Okay, someone explain this dynamic...

I saw this today while driving around in my car. Every once in a while I see this, and I always wonder what the story is behind it:

Someone's driving in their car. In the passenger seat next to them is a dog. Big dog, little dog, doesn't matter. It's a dog. Nothing wrong there.

Until you look in the back seat, and see people back there.

I don't mean children, who of course SHOULD be in the back seat. I mean adults. Full grown adults, sitting in the back seat, while a dog sits up front with the driver.

When *I* was a kid (mumble mumble) years ago, we were allowed to sit up front (we could leap about the car and not worry so much about seat belts, either, until Mom yelled at us and made us sit down!) and it was indeed a special privilege when Mom or Dad chose YOU out of the whole family to sit up there. (I have three siblings, too, so maybe that has something to do with it.) And often this privilege was negotiated: "Okay, YOU can sit up front on our way to the store, and your brother gets to sit up front on the ride home."

Also, when we got to be teenagers, there was always one poor schmoe with a car and we'd all horn in on him or her for rides, and everyone would try to call shotgun instead of being packed in the back like sardines.

So I don't see HOW any thinking adult with the tiniest modicum of self-esteem would literally take back seat to a dog. Don't get me wrong; I like dogs, I have a dog, and yes that dog goes riding with me. But if someone else rides with us, he sits in the back. End of story.

So which do you think it is? The pathetic "Gee, I'd offer you the front seat, but that's Fluffy's seat and he'll rip your throat out if you sit there" or the even more pathetic "Whoz my widdle Fluffykins? Whoza good doggie? Mummy wikes her widdle Fluffykins, doesn't she? Yes she does! (aside) YOU!!! HUMAN!!! GET IN THE BACK!!!"

'Tis a puzzlement....

Mojo