Monday, March 27, 2006

Of Dog and Man

On my way into school this morning, a very centered looking man was about the subway with his small dog scurrying behind him. The dog was not on a leash, and the man made no effort to corral the dog places. There was just the assumption (on the man's part) that where ever the man would go, the dog would follow. I'm not sure what the dog was assuming, likely something to do with the promise of unseen bone-shaped biscuits.

When we sat down on the train, the obedient little dog took a couple steps in a circle and plopped down on the floor. I didn't see the man look a single time to see if the dog had followed him onto the train, he just knew he was there. When other passengers had to walk by to transfer cars, the dog oblidgingly got up and moved out of the way, the man never looking up from his newspaper. The dog never lost eye contact with the man, but the man never made eye contact with the dog. When it came to their stop, the man just made a slight grab for his bag and up popped the dog, ready to follow.

Not having a leash was a testament to the nuturing (perhaps neutering) ability of the man, and the loyalty of the dog. A leash would have demeaned them both, instead they came off as being both highly functional and intelligent.

posted by ncawthon at 10:23 AM