Everyday People

The thing about walking your dogs on the same route every morning is that you keep running into the same people. You don't actually meet anybody (other than to nod hello, comment about one another's dog, or maybe dog-chat for a few paces until someone breaks free), but a familiarity begins to grow.In my mind, I have referring to the regulars by extended nicknames.

For instance, there's Yummy Dark-Haired Guy and his whacky Weimarana. Yummy always offers up a cheerful hello as he goes by, and there's never any choice but to turn around and watch him disappear down the trail. He simply looks too good in the faded-out jeans he favours.

Then there's Little Grey Lady and her Really Big Old Black Lab. She's there without fail first thing every morning, and her dog is always game in spirit if not in body. He's friendly and happy and fragile and the woman clearly loves him to death. It breaks my heart a little.

One of the stranger Dog Walk People is Ageing German Rocker and his Big Balls Bulldog. Picture Gene Simmons in leather pants with a thick accent and you're not far off. His uncut dog wants nothing more than to mount any and all female takers, but Chloe isn't interested. He's a very handsome Bulldog... but I guess he's just not her type……

……Unlike Norman. Yes you heard me right….Norman. I ask you. Norm (as I like to call him) is a 6-month old Bridle Boxer and Chloe ADORES him. She whimpers, she bats her eyes, hell she rolls onto her back for crying out loud. Even a whiff of dear Norm and my usually reserved German Shepherd turns into the canine Heidi Fleiss.

There's only one person I ever have longer conversations with, but she's not there that often. Probably-a-Lesbian with Two Happy Mutts tends to run into me right by the horses who live near the top of the park. (There are estates that border the park, and the people who own the horses have the greatest properties in town.) Probably-a-Lesbian is laid-back and washed-out, in her late 40s, and talks like she's still stoned from a few years back.

I can't believe I ever thought going for walks was a chore. The people-watching alone is worth the price of admission. It does make me wonder, though, how some of these people might refer to me ......

It’s probably best not to think about it too much!