Musings

…not certain about being a dog in the city. I see such variation in owners and the way they treat their dogs. Some owners act like their dogs are ‘good kids’ and some act like the dogs are ‘bad kids’. I have a hard time watching the interaction with the ‘bad kid dog’. There was one today as I stood waiting for the bus. As the dog walked – with difficulty – it strained at a tilted angle on the leash to be as far away as possible from the owner who had the leash reigned in to no longer than four or five feet. When the two of them stopped at the corner to wait for the walk light, the dog crouched in what I read as fear, real fear, and the owner tried to pull the dog up onto straight legs and closer to his own legs. The dog dug his claws into the sidewalk and resisted, straining the harness that was wrapped around his back and front legs. Mercifully for me, the light changed and I didn’t have them in my view any longer.
As I was walking home from the bus stop, I first saw the upright man on his skateboard sailing along the side of the street at a good clip. I saw that his left hand was held low. As he passed the car that was parked between us, I saw the leash. Happily racing along side him was a jack russell.  For a dog that loves to run as a jack russell does, it was the absolutely perfect solution as the wind sailed past his ears and teeth.
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One of you readers suggested that the little bird at the Chinese vegetable stall was just being primed for consumption.. well, I want you to know, it was in full swing yesterday, alive and well.