Dogs

Remember yesterday's post "Drive By" post?

There's more to the story from that morning. After being "accosted" by the little old Chinese woman, Bear and I came to "The Rottweiler House" where two fearsome beasts live. Every time we walk by, the dogs are either fenced within their yard or strapped to leashes outside the house, barking like there's no tomorrow. 

Now, I don't fear dogs in the least. I've been around them my entire life. That doesn't mean I'm not careful and wary around them, however.

They could hear the tinkling of Bear's dog tags as we walked and they know his sound. From a couple doors down they usually begin to "Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!" with enthusiasm, running the length of the fenced yard or straining against their leads in an attempt to get at us when they know we're around.

This time, though, I heard nothing as we approached their house. In an interesting twist, one of the dogs came into view all of a sudden from up the driveway. It walked directly toward us, calmly. 

Bear made a beeline for it. He loves meeting "new friends" ... no matter who they are. I yanked on his lead, forcing him back and away from the Rottweiler. But it continued to approach, uncharacteristically calm and controlled. 

Then it looked at me. The dog's eyes pierced mine with a strange, metallic stare. And that's when I noticed it.

It's laser stare was lifeless and unmoving. The dog was blind. It didn't look at me but in my direction, from the sounds Bear and I were making. That's why it was approaching slowly.

I let Bear gently inch closer. In a few moments his nose nudge the dog in greeting.

That's when the Rottweiler snapped in surprise. I yanked Bear back before it could get a junk of my dog and I put my hand out and on the beast's shoulders. He was startled by Bear's contact, that was all. I had to control Bear's enthusiasm while watching the Rottweiler to make certain the 100 pound plus monster wasn't alarmed further. 

Then, just like that, it turned tail and walked off with a strange, uneven gait. It was partially crippled, I noticed, possibly because of arthritis or some other ailment. I watched as it hobbled back up the driveway, at ease with the smells and familiarity of its surroundings. 

Those big, ferocious Rottweilers who continually barked at us in their yard weren't so daunting after all.

At least the blind one wasn't.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP. )

"Dive! Dive! Dive!"

This Election Year Is For The Dogs ...

Pictures: Stephen Richter

Words: Michael Noble


.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

For Cats, Not Dogs

Excellent for cat owners. And people who can't stand cats and find themselves in homes with cats.

Won't work for dogs for long, however. Dogs will consider this a new play thing and chew the crap out of it.

Because they're dogs ... and aren't as easily amused as cats.

.......... Ruprecht ( just STOP petting cats and everything will be all right )
Unabashedly and shamelessly stolen from The Poke.

Conversation .....

Harold and Maude had just escaped the heat of the day to refresh themselves with a quick fast food meal at a local Weinerschnitzel. After ordering, both sat down at an empty booth when an argument between two unseen employees broke out behind the counter. One was yelling at the other in Spanish:

“¡Mirar! ¡No me importa lo que usted piensa que sí, no es trabajo! ¡Ese es el tercer cliente del que traté de hacer una cosa y salió otra… después de que usted ha dicho usted fija bien desde la primera vez! ¡Ahora salir allí y cambiar la contraseña de root beer!”

(Translation: “Look! I don’t care what you think you did, it’s not working! That’s the third customer that’s tried to get one thing and it came out another … after you said you fixed it right the first time! Now get out there and change the root beer!”)

Harold and Maude looked at each other and smiled.

“Geez! What was that all about? But more importantly, don’t they have a word in Spanish for root beer?” Maude asked.

“No, they don’t,” Harold responded.

“That’s just dumb. You’d think they could say “root beer”! They have to use English words to say it?”

“What restaurant are you sitting in?” Harold asked.

“Weinerschnitzel,” Maude replied.

“That’s right. And there is no translation for “Weinerschnitzel” in English. So what are you going to call it? You’re going to call it “Weinerschnitzel”, just as you’ve done since you first learned the word,” Harold explained. “Not everything translates ..... and English isn’t the be all, end all …”

Moral: Dogs and root beer usually go together. (That is ... if you can make yourself understood when you order'em .....)

........................................ Ruprecht ( STOP )

If you have a better moral, post it, Diego .....