Saturday, August 18, 2007

Be Kind to Animals


This isn't a post about writing. The scene I saw yesterday will never make it into a story of mine. I can't stand to see kids and animals abused, nor can I stand to write about it. Maybe as back story told in a way that shows a positive character arc, or perhaps I'll use the angry emotion that exploded within me in a different type of scene.

Chicagoland has had a hot and muggy August thus far, but yesterday proved to be a deviation from the norm. Sun shining, temperature about 80 degrees, nice breeze. I'd just returned from Sam's and was hauling in my "stuff" when I stopped to chat with my neighbor on her patio. As I was heading for the door to get my frozen things into the freezer, I heard a man's voice yelling "Get back here!" I turned. Across the way a large dog was kind of slinking across the grass away from the yelling man. The dog eventually stopped and retreated toward his master, slinking even lower to the ground. The man came up to the the dog and started beating him across his back and yelling in a loud, mean-sounding voice. The dog never whimpered, never barked. I must hasten to add that the dog walks with with a stiffened gait and looks to be elderly. Now I wonder if he isn't crippled thanks to that bully of an owner.

The old adage to think before you speak totally left me and I yelled at the guy to stop beating the dog. He turned toward my voice and I yelled it again. Then he said the dumbest thing. "Go get your own dog and you can beat him." Huh?? I shouted back that I would never beat a dog, that his dog depends on him and to stop hurting him. I shocked myself, realizing it was pretty risky to yell at a person so hot-tempered like that. For all I knew he'd come over and start beating me. Unlikely, though, since we were in bright daylight and my neighbor was sitting right there.

Man, I felt awful for that dog. It still sickens me. I immediately went over to my neighbor's German Shepherd who was sitting on the patio and gave her love. If I couldn't hug that poor beaten up dog, I could love on some dog. Then I came upstairs to my condo and loved on my cat.
That's Chessie on the left. The dog at the top is a stock photo, but doesn't he look like he wants a hug?

I've been praying that somehow my admonishment has planted some seeds in that bully's head that he needs to clean up his act and take some anger-management counseling. One thing I know for sure. If I see that man do that again I'm reporting him.





1 comment:

Pamela S. Meyers said...

Testing comment section.