Thoughts to Paws over….

This past weekend I was visiting with family for a Robbie Burns dinner, lot’s of fun and laughter.  I was recounting some comical experiences when out doing my dog walks.  I was reminded of a time when I used to live near a park where some pretty sketchy people hung out,  and it was very close to an area where there had been a couple of stabbings.  The neighbourhood was generally safe, but I always tried to make sure I was paying attention to my surroundings.   This one particularly cold, wintry day I was out walking Luna, Tramp and Belle, three gorgeous Labs, through the deserted park.  I was standing along the path when I noticed a guy standing  at the far end by some play equipment pacing back and forth, but the next thing I knew, he was running in my general direction.  At first I wasn’t sure if he was on the same trajectory as I was going, but  as luck would have it as I considered turning around to leave, Tramp decided it was time to go number two.  As this man got closer I got a little nervous, and wasn’t sure what to do, I was with Labs, whose general nature is to lick you to death then growl, and I had no clue what this guy wanted.  I looked around, and I was on my own, and I thought ‘what will I do if his intentions aren’t of a generally warranted nature?’   Frankly, I was more worried about the dogs, than I was about me.  And then it struck me, I had a bag over my hand, ready to stoop and scoop, and had an epiphany, I bent down quickly to grab the 120 pound dogs excrement, not a small deposit I might add! As the man got right up to us, I held the poop up in my hand in way that said “buddy, one step closer and this is in your face.”  He stopped dead in his tracks, stared at the poop, eyes wide, he didn’t say a word and took off in a different direction.  Usually, when I am out walking I can’t find a garbage can fast enough, but I remind myself sometimes who needs pepper spray, when you have “pootection”.