So, it took me 104 days to miss the regularly scheduled posting. Kind of a bummer, but no one is perfect, right? I started packing this morning for my return trip early Thursday morning (Thailand time). Then I had things to do and random people to meet. So, to make up for it, I will post one story before I go to sleep and one when I wake up!
Today's first story involves Laika flexing the wrong muscles when she needed to be an intimidating "heavy." Those muscles being the ones that controlled her wagging tail and goofy smile. Without any further ado, here is today's first installment...
Our old house had a yard. The neighboring houses did as well. These required many different implements to keep the growing things from going wild. Some of the residents kept these locked in basements or under porches, others just left them on their back porch secured only by their faith in the honesty of other human beings. One morning, this latter plan nearly backfired.
I had just come in from a run and was looking out the back door before letting Laika out, when I noticed someone shuffling around the alley behind the houses, looking for something. The alley was usually busy with foot traffic around 7-8 am, so I didn't think anything of it until the guy was acting very suspiciously, basically peeping around fences and bushes like a cartoon robber. He then brazenly stumbled onto my neighbor's back porch, took their weed whacker and proceeded to make a slow-speed getaway while looking shiftily around him. I noted what was happening to Elaina, who was also in the kitchen and she suggested that something be done about it.
So, I decided to spring into action to save the yard equipment (which I sometimes borrowed). Before exiting the backdoor, I thought it might be good to bring some muscle with me, so I put Laika's leash on her and away we went. She was really excited to be running, especially since the speed was faster than usual. I saw the thief turn the corner in the alley as Laika and I closed the distance. When we caught up with him, he tried to half-heartedly "hide" really obviously next to a parked car. I wanted to laugh when I saw him, but this was serious business!
Laika didn't get the memo, though. She just sat next to me smiling and wagging her tail as the very drunk robber stood there awkwardly clutching the weed whacker. I tried to covertly tell Laika to stop being happy, but it didn't work. She was so stoked to be part of the "game" and would not lower her excitement level. However, just her presence was enough to rattle the would-be thief. This led to an ever weirder ending to the episode.
The man immediately apologized for stealing the weed whacker. Instead of leaving it at that, he asked me for a hug, and before I could say "no" he had overcome his fear of Laika and was hugging me while profusely apologizing. My only reaction was to have him promise not to do it again, to which he drunkenly agreed. As could be guessed, this whole scene only made Laika more excited. The man quickly wandered off after handing back the stolen goods and Big Baby proudly led the way home, tail still flailing wildly.
I told Elaina about Laika's intimidation methods and she thought it was hilarious. It was an adventure that highlights Laika's joy of doing just about anything. I was glad she was with me, though, because she could be a protector, as had been proven before.
So...about the weed whacker...I emailed my neighbor (because they were at work) and told them the story and that I was keeping it in safe basement for them to get later that evening. They came to get it, thanked me and then put it right back on their porch! Yes, they just put it back outside! The story doesn't end there, though. Several years later when they were in the process of moving, they let me borrow the weed whacker and...it broke completely the only time I used it. Yes, I was the responsible party for its demise. My neighbor asked for me to pay for it, then, presumably after remembering my harrowing tale of stopping its abduction, changed their mind. So, in some ways Laika helped me save about $25 with her part in this whole caper!
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