TBBITW and I have put on the miles today. I had loaded up my little American
Eskimo Dogg in his Wald basket (he drives a large Wald; he only drives
American) on TBBITW to take him to the vet for boarding. The plan was for him
to drive his Wald to the vet, drop him off and continue on to school on TBBITW
to retrieve my sons. I had gone no further than a few houses before I noticed a
neighbor and her off-leash miniature Schnauzer in their yard. "Milo" began to
have conniptions, barking and growling and straining, but his mistress had him
by his collar, so we exchanged hellos and I pedaled on. Not five seconds later
I heard the sound of canine nails scraping pavement at a rapid pace behind me.
There was Milo, full of fury and in hot pursuit of me, the Wald-driving Dogg
and TBBITW. Was it Wald envy? Backabike bag envy? Doggs-in-high-places envy? We
will never know because Milo's not saying.
At that moment I had to make a choice. Do I stop so his owner can grab him and
hope I won't have to pry my leg loose from his jaw? Do I trust my Dogg, who is
now standing up in his Wald not to jump out and retaliate? I looked down at my
bare legs. I was wearing my favorite yellow and white striped shorts ("My
little lemon drop! My sunflower!" exclaimed my husband this morning.) and
open-toe sandals. No. I'd like to keep my flesh, and my shorts look better
without bloodstains. I decided he could neither be THAT persistent, nor that
fast. I'd take off at a quick pace and he'd give up and go home in less than a
block.
I rounded the corner with Milo's mistress screaming behind me,
"MIIILLLLLLOOOOOOOOOO!!!" but my course was set and my tires were eating up the
road before me. I chanced a glance back and unbelievably, Milo was keeping
pace! In fact, he was but a few feet behind me! He was lunging for my left
Backabike bag! I sent up a silent prayer that I'd have it in me to go faster
for longer. I was now on the open road leaving the neighborhood, a quarter mile
into the chase. Milo was breathing harder but showed no signs of giving up. I
pedaled harder and managed to put 30 feet between us. It was at this point I
realized that the enraged and persistent Milo was at risk of becoming roadkill.
I wanted to veer onto a sidewalk to get him off the road, but was moving too
fast to do it safely - remember, my Dogg is still driving the Wald - not a
stable arrangement. I approached an intersection, and noticed a woman in a
large white SUV yielding to me at her stop sign. She could clearly see me, but
she would not likely see Milo 30 feet behind me until he was under her tires. I
had to communicate with her but how? I met her eyes, then turned my head and
upper body backwards, as if watching something behind me. It worked. She
noticed my pursuer and pulled up to me, slowing.
I slowed as she asked through her lowered window, "Is that your dog?"
"No!" I yelled, "He's trying to bite me!" Not eloquent, but I was WINDED. Milo
saw his chance and seized it with all four canines. He closed the distance and
was nearly upon me. I hit the pedals harder and begged my Dogg to sit down in
his Wald.
She sped off ahead of me, and I thought great, she's left me to deal with him
alone. We were now nearing the one mile mark of the chase and the roundabout
was looming. I would have to stop and yield to cars here. Milo would surely get
his chance at a Leg of Leah. Not even the Wald-driving Dogg and the TBBITW
would save me now.
Suddenly, a ways ahead of me, the white SUV swerved right and stopped. I passed
her and as I looked back, I saw her jump out and intercept Milo!!! He had a
collar and I knew he'd be returned home. I nearly laughed with relief as I
approached the roundabout and safely swirled downhill toward the vet's.
The doorbell rang this evening and there stood Milo's mistress. She had somehow
tracked down my address for the sake of profuse apologizing and requests to
make this right. I apologized, too. I knew his mistress couldn't catch us and
that Milo could have been lost to her forevermore. All's well and there wasn't
an ounce of anger between us and Milo is now going to be leashed 100% of the
time.
If you ever have a similar encounter, may you have a Wald-driving Dogg and a
TBBITW to usher you through it.
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