Walking The Dog

Walking is for exercise; however, it can be fun and educational.

          On some days walking is memorable.  Perhaps walking could even be curiously mysterious?                                    

                                                      Today, my walk was Freaky!

The walk began with the usual excitement, down the stairs, down the hill and right back up the hill.  It continued with a stroll beside the pool and tennis courts then the long climb up the hill….

At this point, my walk….well it was completely different…off the scale….I saw…..

A Great Dane was walking an older man.  Yes, the dog was walking the man!  

Let’s start with the dog, who was walking upright, wearing a bright red hat and sipping a diet Coke!  This Great Dane had incredible balance.  His red hat was cocked at a rakish angle and he actually looked quite cool.  The can of diet Coke was held in his paws…actually, I’m not sure how he was holding the can!

This amazing Great Dane, as I said, was walking an older man using a blue leash and the older man had a brown collar.  I was amazed at how the man was walking on his hands and feet.  In football, his walking would be called the “death crawl.”  It really was amazing how this man was able to walk on all fours….just amazing!

As I approached the dynamic duo, I realized that I was staring, quite rudely.  I slowed my walk, gathered my words, and spoke a greeting…Good morning!  How are you?

The Great Dane turned to me, jerked on his leash to slow down his pet, and replied, “Positively smashing.”

My thoughts were bumfuzzled…a dog just replied to me!  How is this possible?  I must have been dreaming.  Could this really have happened?  Did I just hear a dog talk?

The Great Dane was staring at me as I worked these thoughts through my surprised mind.  He finally spoke and asked, “are you OK?”

In spite of my staring and bumfuzzled mind, I was able to get out, “OK.”

The Great Dane seemed to relax his countenance and said, “Oh, are you shocked at my pet?”  He continued, “my pet is an older one but has been gentle and reliable for my wife and me.  Why, he even stopped a burglar the other night while we were asleep.  We adopted him 2 years ago and it has been a most agreeable situation.  He is even housebroken!”

While the Great Dane spoke, I continued to stare and realized that my jaw was hanging down.  I hastily closed my mouth while still trying to process this incredible situation.  I then realized that the Great Dane was talking to me.  I nodded and tried to look agreeable and friendly.

Finally, the “Pet”, the older man, jerked on the leash and pointed forward with his hand, as though he wanted to move on.  By the way, during this entire unusual conversation, the “pet” had said nary a word.  He sat and scratched…a most unsettling sight.  I was watching an older man on all fours, sitting and scratching!  Wow!

The Great Dane bade me a cheery farewell and the unusual duo moved on.  I found myself staring at the sight of the receding pair.  They moved up the hill and turned right, onto the grassy hillside.  I continued to stare, unabashedly as they moved out of sight.

I finished my walk and clocked 2.31 miles…not too shabby.

Wait…did I just see…..a dog walking a man?!!

I won’t tell if you won’t!