I got out of work early today and it was sunny, in the mid-70s. After having suffered through a long weekend in Western Michigan (where it was actually great for spring, but still way too uncomfortable) I wanted to just hang out in the park, sit in the sun, and read some Wired.
Despite Neighborpalooza, no one actually uses the park very much. Between 3 and 5 it is populated only by 'dog people' and very brave cats. Today I was sitting on a berm and Oscar the cat, who is owned by one family yet lives with another (better food maybe?) crawled up on my lap to read some Wired too. Bella was wandering around saying hola to Sanger, Irma, and Jackson, and looking for treats and discarded tennis balls.
Bella came over to check out the cat and make sure he wasn't getting any treats or undue attention. It was a little bit o'afternoon paradise when suddenly, I saw Bella look across the park, and then take off running.
This is never a good thing. She is powerless before bike riders, just has to chase them, and she will chase them right out to the busy street. If she thinks she knows someone, she will run right up to them, and she is not always right. She's willing to pretend that she knows them anyway - they are not always willing to do so. She also has no idea that she is a small and cutesy kind of dog, and other dogs are not afraid of her.
So today she took off chasing a pit bull. Right. A huge, no-collared, drooling, pit bull. This dog had crazy yellow eyes and a coat that looked like a chocolate lab left too long in the wash. I yelled and screamed at Bella to STAY STAY STAY and even pleaded and threatened. She just kept running. Finally, she doubled back and I grabbed her and scooped her into the air. She is about 35 pounds right now so air scooping is not a graceful maneuver. I was lucky I didn't fall over with the momentum. I had a good start running, so I started off toward the backyard.
The damn pit bull followed right behind, and actually tried to bite me in the butt. I THINK he was playing, but I also could not be sure he was just drooling and not foaming. I dumped Bella in the yard and made like I was going to grab the pit bull, and he went into play position and started jumping and barking. Good signs, all. I followed him back out into the park and got my magazine, and called it a day.
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5 comments:
You are way more brave than I. I would be crying like a baby all the way home and lock the door.
Actually, Claudia wouldn't be sitting in a park where there were dogs anyway.
You are hereby annointed the the Mere Mortal Hero of the Week. Quit blushing. It's a real honor.
Wow, I think that's my first title. I like it.
Claudia - dogs can't open doors - you don't have to lock it. ;-)
When I was living in LA I had a pit bull camp out on my porch - he kept trying to get in every time I would leave the house b/c he wanted to eat Bella. I found out the shelters didn't take pit bulls so I had to do the whole pit bull rescue thing. That was pretty scary. The only scary part Weds was not being able to catch Bella and thinking that I was about to watch her being eaten... I have butt to spare.
Dogs scare me more than the albino man.
Ahh, that's a scary incident. Thank god he only wanted to play, but what a nuisance. I'm having the visual of you running home with Bella....I'm sure it's wasn't funny then but I hope you are laughing about it now.
Greg
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