Here’s how it works: I pull into my spot in the parking lot at Winslow, open the door, and Kemba makes a mad scramble for the scuffed dirt area near the water fountain. There he waits — stock still — for me to emerge from the car, cock my right arm, and launch that first tennis ball from my trusty blue Chuck-it. My dog dashes for it as if his very life hangs in the balance, leaps high in the air to snag it in his jaws on that first high bounce . . . and then struts jauntily, red feathery tail held high in a graceful arc, to the first stranger he can find. He drops the ball right in front of her.
Wouldn’t you think he might have brought it back to the guy who threw it to him? Who feeds him?? Who gave him a ride over to the dog park???
Are you kidding? With all these perfectly good new people around?
This first individual he’s approached — a woman in a pink ball cap and blue sneakers — seems to be busy on her cell phone. So Kemba, undeterred, picks up his ball and stalks his next victim — a man in jeans and a dark gray coat. Kemba lets go of the ball — pretty much flings it — at the man’s feet, then stares up at him expectantly, head tilted. The man falls for it, of course (who could refuse that face?), and is now trapped into several throws.
But now Kemba spots a woman in light-gray tights with a green fleece tied around her waist . . . and she has a red Chuck-it! And a ball! And is throwing to her dog! For Kemba, this is irresistible. Another new person! And, wow —
this ball looks and smells much better than the one we came with! Kemba instantly insinuates himself into this new game . . .
And so it goes. I could stand on my head and fire tennis balls till the cows come home, and my dog wouldn’t even favor me with a glance. Until all his new “friends” have tired of this hyper-active Duck Toller, and have retreated to their cars.
Now, all of a sudden, I’m looking pretty good again.
LOOK FOR A NEW BEAGLE MAN POST EVERY THURSDAY. OR PRETTY CLOSE TO THURSDAY. COULD BE WEDNESDAY. OR FRIDAY. LET’S NOT GET TOO OBSESSIVE HERE . . . 🙂 OH, AND BTW, YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM
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