Walked on, lovely afternoon, thoughts on the art show I'd been at earlier with a good friend, some good watercolors, and the keyboard practice I did this morning, trying to retrieve my piano skills so as to take a better part in our harpsichord and recorder duets, idly noticing soccer players all over the place.
Then on the path outside the park, on the way home, I heard a tiny voice behind me, saying, don't want to make you nervous, but I'm coming through on your left...looked back and there was the tiny lady, with the dog asleep in the stroller, being pushed.
I laughed, and said, ah, the puppy needed a ride? to which she solemnly responded, not a puppy, he's fourteen years old! I explained that to me they're all puppies, and she said, you see, this way he walks until he's tired, then he rides, he gets his exercise I get mine. It all works.
Totally unselfconscious about the figure she and Puppy cut, just a lovely character.
This was quite a common site in Japan. For similar reasons, I believe. Which lead me to learn, to my surprise, Japanese are as daft about their dogs as us Brits.
ReplyDeleteWe have a neighbour in our vertical village who pushed his little dog in a wheelchair borrowed from our super. The dog had a joint problem due to being overweight and overbred. He complained that people didn't understand that the dog had to get out and he couldn't carry him due to recent by-pass surgery himself. I suggested he visit the local pet store, which he did, and purchased a dog stroller - mesh front, zip up to contain the dog. Now they both get out for exercise. In the end, so what? As I said if someone has so much time as to spend on ridiculing you and your dog/stroller, they're giving someone else a break from their blather. - J in Cowtown
ReplyDeleteAhh, the things we do for the love of our 4-footed friends and to keep them with us longer. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on a method by which the dog pushes me in a stroller.
ReplyDeleteOne of the nice things about getting older is how we shed our 'what will people think" hat and find a "to hell with them" hat instead. Your dog lady sounds delightful, and I can just see her teaching the dog to ride in that tiny stroller...
ReplyDeleteI think that's a great idea! They both get their exercise and both are happy campers (walkers?). Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention and this lady obviously was on top of it.
ReplyDeleteSo much thought-provoking material in your recent postings, Liz. I love the photos of your trees, but the red peppers among the green leaves make a stunning sight!
ReplyDeleteIt's a cultural thing, I guess. In Japan and Florida, dog strollers aren't uncommon. People think it is cute, but certainly not ridiculous. Another common sight in Florida (where there are a lot of old people and old dogs!) is a dog happily riding in its owner's lap on a motorized wheelchair or scooter. A
ReplyDelete