Thought Wheel

Ann Chiappetta

Little Girl With The White Dog

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Dear Little Girl with the little white dog;
I know you think your 3 lb baby on the retracting leash is very friendly. I heard you saying to Fluffy, “Look, there’s another dog, let’s go say hello.” When I heard the leash zing like a trout running a lure, I knew we were in trouble.
I stopped and prepared for the worst, taking Ro’s leash in my right hand. We were ready to do battle with the tiny gnashing, growling thing that is supposed to resemble a dog.

“Hello.” I say, correcting Ro as she puts her head down to say hello to the snapping, growling thing.
“Are you blind?” the little girl asks, letting Fluffy get closer.
I back away, doing my best to judge distance and taking the chance there is nothing else to my right as I side step Fluffy.
“Yes, and this is my guide dog.” Ro is wagging her tail, but holding steady, realizing this thing will bite her ear just like the other one did a few months ago.
“If you could put your dog closer to you and let us pass, that would be great.”
She doesn’t move and fluffy lunges. I step back one more step.
“How did you know we were here?”
I sigh, not sure how to answer. So I prepare to run the risk of Ro getting bitten and start to pass her, saying,
“I heard you.”
As we go quickly by, fluffy lunges again and I leash guide Ro forward until we’re safely past. Once we’re back to a good stride, I think, that if I even thought her parents were around, I would have laid into them. How irresponsible of them to allow a 5 or 6 year old manage even a little dog in public, alone and untrained. Sheesh, it could have been lunch for some other dog with less manners.

Ah, life and the streets of suburbia.

Be Well, Annie C. & Verona, dog guide extraordinaire My blog: www.brainnatter.blogspot.com

I write to find out what I think. — Stephen King

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