Wild Animal Residents in the Hood

I began my walk this morning eager to appreciate the new California Quail flock I spotted the other day, or the lone coyote, or even a fledgling turkey or two. I came home believing that I am being investigated, or in my own words harassed. It seems like every morning I walk into dog owners, both responsible and irresponsible. But this time it was over the top. I took a hill, then meandered down to the park, using what people in the hood call the "upper" trail.

Prior to the attack, the upper trail was always quiet and extremely uncrowded. It was rare to see dogs that I didn't recognize, let alone dogs and/or people at all. I know the dogs that will lurch out at me - because they are my neighbors' dogs. I know the ones who are going to be off leash, and I know the ones that are sweet and mild. These dogs are locals and I recognize them from a distance; I know some of them by name. But now, I am regularly seeing dogs I don't recognize on my quiet trail, everyday. It's weird. Even weirder still? The irresponsible dog owners I am seeing on a regular basis, the ones who are walking a dangerous, lurch out type dog. These "owners" are also usually talking on the phone. One time I clearly saw someone sitting on the grass in the park with her iPhone, not talking, but using it as a camera, and Roxie and I were the subject matter. Who was she?

For months I have been shrugging these sightings off, as coincidences. Today I put one and one together. On my way down to the park, there was an awful dog and a small dog attached to a woman talking on the phone. The awful dog was yanking its leash and had that eye thing going on with Roxie. I was terrified. I yelled out that I was scared of her dog, and she politely moved her dog past me as I went far off the trail to what felt like a safe spot. I turned my back, and she SLOWLY went by - all the time talking on the phone. I overheard her explaining what was happening as she went by as I held Roxie in my arms - fearfully using my ostrich technique.

Fast forward to the park where there was another woman, also on the phone, who was walking with an aggressive looking mid-sized dog. She slowly meandered around, seemingly waiting to see which way I would go so she could approach me, or so I thought. I have so many routes now that it's easy for me to get a good walk in, as well as evade them, but I couldn't help but wonder if she was actually talking to the other woman that I'd recently seen at the upper part of that same trail.

I decided to follow her. She continued on the lower part of the trail, my favorite part, but I didn't follow her until I knew she would be a good 15 minutes distance down the road.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her again, not very far from the bend in the trail, just hanging around. At this point, I really felt like she was watching me. I turned around and for the second time with this same person, walking in the opposite direction. There is a different path that I know of that allows walkers to see the trail from a distance away, and I took it to see what she would do. By the time I got to the place where she was stagnating, I saw that she was gone. I felt relieved. Saddened, but relieved.

I am sad to note that I had mild flashback on the way home. That awful dog and its piercing stare down at Roxie caused it. I had to shake my head to make it stop, but it did stop. I felt poorly though and hurried home. As I walked by the house, I counted houses to keep my sanity. When I finally arrived I was greeted by my sweet next door neighbor who was on her way to work. It felt like I was being welcomed by a guardian angel. I hadn't seen her for some time, and I was happy to see her lovely, smiling face. We didn't chat for too long, but she successfully got me thinking about other things, and noticed how great Roxie was doing. By the time she drove away to begin her workday, I was feeling much better, but still wondering if the "phone" ladies walking the trail were just a coincidence or hired to be there.