by Judi Curry
No one can accuse me of being a “bush” lover, but an incident happened yesterday as I was walking my Golden Retriever that brought back my feelings of fear whenever I heard the word “bush.”
Buddy and I were walking on a grassy street, closing in on Sunset Cliffs when I noticed a gardener standing on the sidewalk, bush trimmer in hand, watching us with a wild look in his eye. We were probably 2-3 houses from him, and 3-4 houses from the Cliffs. Wouldn’t you know that Buddy decided to leave his deposit right in front of the house where the wild man stood.
I quickly got out my plastic bag and scooped up Buddy’s leavings, as the gardener came closer to me, trimmer in hand and a wild sneer on his face. He moved over to the other side of the grass and held up the trimmer as if he was going to do a little trimming on Buddy and/or me. He said, “you may love your dog but I love my lawn even more.” What the hell did that mean?
I walked past the gardener, quickly, and wondered if the world had gone a little bit crazier. This was Ocean Beach! A place where most people have at least one dog, maybe more. If he was trying to scare me he was successful. I fully expected him to start the bush trimmer and go after us. Buddy, usually very friendly, walked as fast as I did to pass the man. Is this a new tactic? Gardener’s going after dog walkers? He looked so menacing I immediately wondered just what he was capable of doing if truly challenged.
What has happened to the friendliness of Ocean Beach since I moved here in 1966? Do we have to fear our neighbors – or, in this case – the workers that come into our neighborhood? How sad life is becoming in a world that has more than its share of
grief when walking ones dog can be a threat.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, this is rich, maybe, before you came along he had witnessed many dog owners who were not eager to clean up their dog’s crap. Maybe he has been losing the battle of the brown spot and felt particularly brave that day confronting a dog owner whose serendipitious appearance represented the bane of his existence.
Maybe, he was drunk.
What are you worried about, you’ve got a big dog. The dog would sacrifice itself to save you. Wouldn’t it? Isn’t that the secret wish of every dog lover, to be saved by their loyal pet?
Yes, all you were doing is walking your dog. People weren’t friendly that day. Maybe a medication adjustment is in order.
Walking a dog can be a rich expereince, remember to compost.
What am I worried about? Are you serious? Yes, I have a big dog – over 100 pounds to be exact. He is also 9 years old and trained – yes, trained, not to attack. Do I want to sacrifice my dog, my companion, my link to my deceased husband, for a maniacal gardener? A secret wish of every dog lover. Do you have a dog? Do you have this secret wish? Who’s to take the medication? Me? The gardener? Buddy?
What irony that the title of this article uses the same name as the highest dog poop picker upper in the United States the former play president George W. Bush. LOL
No irony. Intentional.
I don’t have a dog, yet I keep finding dog crap in my (fenced in) yard. I’m afraid you are suffering the wrath brought on by less considerate dog owners.
Maybe, Abby. I have dog poop, and now I suspect skunk poop, in my fenced in yard also. But…he saw me with the plastic bag in hand; he saw me bend down and pick it up. Of course, in retrospect, maybe that is why he didn’t start the trimmer!
Be careful with your dog in the yard if your finding skunk poop inside the fence! Nasty business)