Day 67

Matt joined me on my walk today.  And so did an insane dog that wanted to eat us.  Around mile three of our walk, this dog starts barking, and Matt swore.  I looked up, and there’s a Rottweiler on the other side of the guardrail, snarling and barking at us.  Tail was not wagging, he was doing this weird thing with his front paws like he was digging in, and he kept getting closer, even when we started to walk away.  Of course, this was the one time when no one was driving by.  The stupid thing walked under the guardrail and started coming at us when his owner drove up.  I thought I was going to die.

This led to my husband insisting that I should get my pistol permit in case that happens again.  I wouldn’t shoot a dog, I don’t care if the thing is eating me.  And it’s dangerous to shoot into the air, I’ve seen that episode of CSI where the guy shot into the air and killed the girl three blocks away.  And it’s my luck anyway that I’d be jogging, the gun would fall out of my coat or whatever and shoot myself in the foot.  But maybe I’ll look into a starter pistol.  They make one heck of a noise, which should scare anything that’s trying to get me off, they’re lighter than a gun, even a .22, I wouldn’t have to worry about carrying my permits around with me or hurting myself.  I just don’t want to carry anything else with me.  But thoughts of that stupid dog is spooking me.

Matt’s been trying to push for me to get my pistol permit since I started walking.  We live in the middle of no where, and I walk on mostly back roads.  There are a lot of coy-dogs around here (feral dogs who have bred with coyotes), not to mention bob cats and mountain lions, dogs that people don’t like to fence in or keep on a leash, and bears.  Before today, I wasn’t worried.  I’ve seen six bunnies, lots of birds, a handful of field mice, and one turtle on my walks.  One of the bunnies spooked me, because it thought it would be a good idea to hop right out in front of me, but otherwise I’ve had an “Aww, so cute!” reaction.

I’m not opposed to getting my permit, I’d actually like it.  But I don’t want to shoot off a range.  I’m not opposed to hunting, Matt hunts, but we eat what he shoots, it’s not pointless killing.  And we have a place where everything we don’t use goes, so that nature can use it.  Mice eat the bones, whatever else eats the rest.  But I couldn’t personally hurt an animal.  But I don’t want to stop walking outside.  I love my walks.  But that damned dog has me scared.  *sigh*