Our first house was in Millersville PA, a duplex at 1 Applewood Lane. A corner property, with a large side yard, separated from the street by a row of arborvitaes trees. There was an empty lot behind our property, beyond our row of trees, that allowed access to the side street, (Charlotte St.).
Shelby was a cherished family member, a coal black cockapoo, (cocker spaniel and poodle mix). She never barked, made much of a fuss, but had the smelliest ears in the history of ears. They required frequent cleaning, thankfully, Linda took that chore as her own. She was bought from a litter in Severna Park MD at the same time as Linda’s former sister-in-law, Cindy bought her litter mate, whose name is lost in my memory. She spent the entire trip back to Lancaster in the back seat, on our daughter Alicia’s lap. Not a sound out of her the entire trip, this, I thought was a good omen.
Our house had a screened in back porch with a door that opened out into the side yard. One warm summer night around midnight, as I was ready to retire, I had to let Shelby out for her final amount of business. Now, being ready for bed, I was attired in white sox accompanied by white and red striped boxer shorts. Usually this was not an issue, as I would simply open the side door, Shelby would go out, complete her task, obediently returning to the side door for admittance and a treat. I had never needed to put her on a leash, I had never needed to venture out from the porch, easy nightly mission.
This evening, Sheby’s laser like focus was interrupted by flash of something on the street, traveling left to right, just beyond the arborvitaes. As this something cleared the trees, it was identifiable as a female jogger. I have failed to mention, that the other three corners of our intersection housed students from Millersville University. Point being, this was not an unusual sight.
For reasons forever unknown, this particular young lady attracted Shelby’s interest. She, Shelby that is, was off like shot from a barrel. I bolted from the porch, yelling, “SHELBY, SHELBY, GET BACK HERE!!” My pleas went unheeded as the jogger proceeded with out breaking stride, Shelby closing in and I slowly, I was in socks remember, approaching them both. I continued shouting, “SHELBY, SHELBY“, to no avail.
Shelby was now about three feet behind the jogger. Despite my constant shouting, neither Shelby, nor more importantly, the jogger, seemed to notice. She, the jogger that is, continued her pace as if she had no care in the world. Evidently unaware that a small black dog, followed by a large man, clad only in boxer shorts and white socks, were trailing her, now but a few feet away.
I finally close the gap and catch up to Shelby, just as she, Shelby that is, catches the jogger. All in one instant, in which time seems to stop, I, crab-like, in my white and red striped boxers and white socks, bend over to pick up Shelby, the jogger FINALLY, turns to see what, at this point she must sense, is happening behind her. I, still shouting, “SHELBY, SHELBY!” now notice that she, the jogger that is, is wearing headphones, she had not heard any of my shouting. Her eyes become as large as dinner plates, as she raises her arms defensively, screaming. “GET AWAY FROM ME, LEAVE ME ALONE, GET AWAY, GET AWAY, AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!
Scooping Shelby in my arms. I back pedal, palms outwardly raised, pleading, “I was just getting my dog, I’m just getting my dog, didn’t you hear me shouting?” Of course she didn’t hear me, in her panic she has pulled out her headphones, I can hear the music three feet away. She calms down, I apologize for startling her and life returns to normal. I feel compelled to offer my fatherly advice, that it may not be such a good idea to be jogging at this time of night, totally oblivious to the surroundings. She just looks at me, puts her headphones back in and jogs off. Never saw her jogging down Charlotte Street again.
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