My instinct had me raising my foot up and away from the peddle and the doggie who was surely trying to bite my ankle and tear it into shreds. I did not have the instinct to kick the doggie in the head, at least not until my heart stopped racing.
What the hell, dog owner? Why should I have to deal with your dog when I'm riding my bike? Where the hell are you? And who's watching your dog?
This is one of my peeves. It is so annoying when I'm out running and a dog starts to run at me and I have to stop because it's up righted itself and has its paws on me. And always the dog owner is chit-chatting away with someone - too busy to make an effort to control their dog until it has already interrupted my run. "Oh, he won't bite." Lady, I don't care - if it's charging at me and jumping up at me I'm bothered.
Once, this dog owner was on the stoop letting his little doggie out in the morning. I ran by and little doggie is at my heels yipping and snapping at my running pants. I had to stop so I wouldn't step on it as it ran around my feet. All the while dog owner is calling for the dog but not moving from the stoop.
Would the dog I encountered today have attacked if I was on foot? Or was he all excited by the speed of my bike? What would have happened if I had been pushing a baby stroller or had little children with me? (Caution: tangent and a lot of poor sentence structure. I like using that question when referring to dogs and idiots who stop on or cut off folks walking in crosswalks. Because: everyone always questions whether events are child or family friendly and I get so sick of no one questioning whether events are people-in-general friendly. It's as if those without family or children aren't considered. Don't get me wrong. It's great to have all types of people involved in events, but children and families aren't the only ones who count in the tax paying populous. So, I use the "what about the children" question when talking about dog attacks and crosswalk malfeasance because these are the few times the question should be asked. But it actually diminishes the fact that no person -regardless of age, size, speed, intelligence- should have to put up with other people's thoughtlessness. I'm so glad only about 3 people read this blog. Raving. Lunatic. That's what happens to me when dogs attack. Or at least sort of attack. Or bark viciously and chase.)
Do you think I have the right to kick and/or step on threatening dogs? Can I get arrested for that? It would be in self defense. I'm not a violent person. I couldn't even kill the mouse I caught ransacking my kitchen.
But, you - dog owner, what gives you the right to let your dog out unattended? Or to be so lax with your dog's behavior in public places? To the dog owner on Lawrence Street in Kittery Point, if it happens again I'm gonna tell!
Fortune: Ideas you may believe are absurd ultimately lead to success.
There were 2 hawks (the photos are of the same one) whom attended Baruch's* first birthday party.
