Page 28 - Autumn 2024 Newsletter Online_Neat

The park gave a welcome respite of What a beautiful moment that was!
shade provided by a canopy of But somehow this was different from
majestically tall trees. The beautifully my usual encounters with dogs.
manicured grass was sprinkled with Glancing around as if to seek
water daily, its edges and flower authority, I saw there was no obvious
borders meticulously maintained. owner in sight. The dog wasn’t
The heat and heady smell of wild wearing a collar. A closer look
crocus, dahlia and lilies was enough revealed a ring in its ear like one you
alone to make anyone feel drowsy. might expect to see on a cow, pig or
Bougainvillea and Clematis weaving a goat. It bore three or four numbers,
their way to the sunlit uplands, hung followed by several letters.
limply from the trees contributing to My curiosity was aroused. The dog
a confusing tapestry of colour and appeared friendly enough, it’s long
beauty. The air was punctuated with coat in fair condition, claws cut and
a variety of squawks and shrieks from oh, those eyes! So admittedly, with
the wild exotic birds, the distant a degree of trepidation, I reached out
legendary hooting of car horns and and gently stroked the dog's head.
the invasive sound of the Mosques Following this initial encounter, most
calling to prayer. The panting of the days when I visited the park again
keep-fit brigade as they dutifully plod this dog was often in much the same
past going about their constitutional place and always greeted me with a
routines, the characteristic sound of controlled enthusiasm of a gently
flip-flops on the hot ground and the wagging tail.
occasional white vapour trails of
aircraft unapologetically scoring the
deep blue cloudless sky. It all offers
a perfect opportunity to put the
newspaper down and settle as
comfortably as possible into the
typically ill-fitting park bench, clearly
not designed by an ergonomist, and
drift into the land of dreams and
make believe.

I was awakened somewhat suddenly
from my slumbers by the weight of
the head of a dog on my knee. Not
a small dog but at least the size of an
adult GSD. The surprised look on my
face probably resembled the moment
of homing of a doctor's finger on the
appropriate organ during a prostate My taxi driver was fluent in English
check! I woke alarmed and cautiously so no prizes for guessing the topic
withdrew my hands from my lap to of conversation the following morning
my chest in an anticipated act of when he collected me from the
self-defence. This dog continued to hotel; I told him of my encounter.
sit beside me unflinching while it
engaged me in direct eye contact. Apparently, this dog was one of
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