Nice Doggie.....

I used to be scared of dogs. When I would walk with my sister-in-law and there would be a stray dog I would jump up on her and she would piggy back me until all the danger of loose dog was over. (I'm kidding - but I did grab her and hide behind her back-she was my shield). One evening, we were approached by a little yappy dog. I hid behind her with my eyes tightly closed and waited for her reassuring words that all was clear. That the bad dog was gone.

This is what I heard: THAT DOG JUST BIT ME!

I know that she was the one who endured all the pain and suffering of that dog bite (she did get an insurance settlement, too) but since that time I am TERRIFIED of loose dogs.

Last night, around 9:00, Annie and I headed out on our walk.

On our route there is a very long block which is pretty creepy. The sidewalk jaunts over and there are so many trees that the streetlight doesn't quite reach the sidewalk. Because of these trees, the sunlight doesn't reach the sidewalk, either. It is always damp and muddy and very dark. The trees are not friendly trees. They are not cozy, pretty shade trees. They are dark, overgrown, cranky trees. Nobody mows, either. It reminds me of H.R. Pufnstuf.

It was here that two loud barking dogs came out of nowhere.

Annie and I were scared to death. We froze. I could feel their breath on my ankles. The dogs were literally on our heels. Annie kept saying over and over that one of them was a pit bull. I was too terrified to look. Time stood still. We tried to decided what to do. I had visions of our legs being totally mutilated. Years of plastic surgery. Never wearing shorts or skirts again. Pain. Scars.

I felt that my only choice was to go to the closest house and plead for help. It was typical of the other houses on the block. Dark and dreary. There was no porch light on. Once I made it to the front door I wondered if anybody even lived there. Miraculously, the dogs did not follow me up on the porch. They stood at the bottom of the steps. Barking ferociously.

I started ringing the doorbell as if our life depended on it. In fact, I think I rang it about 25 times! I was wondering why I was so persistent because I doubted anybody was in there.

Suddenly, the door opened. A very unkempt, unhappy man, wearing only shorts, was staring at me. I apologized for bothering him and said I hoped I did not wake him up. He said I did not wake him but he had a lot of kids and I woke at least 1/2 of them up. I imagined a room with rows of baby beds (like a third world orphanage) and all the babies crying. How many kids could he possible have? He looked like he was barely out of highschool.

I told him we did not know what to do about the crazy dogs who we thought were going to attack us. Could he help us, please?

This is what he said, "Why don't you shoot them?"

This really wasn't the help I was looking for. I was now second guessing my judgement to pick this house for help.

The dogs had stopped barking and were running towards a couple who were walking down the street. They started petting the dogs and calling one of them "Baby." I asked the couple if the dogs belonged to them. I told them that we thought they were going to attack us. The lady told us they were her brothers dogs and he probably didn't even know they were out. She said she would take them home.

I apologized to the man on the porch for waking up his litter of children and we headed home. We were safe!!