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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Tuesday Tidbits

People in my neighborhood:
After running, and now walking, through my neighborhood for 4 years, I have seen my share of odd people. Most notably, there's the guy who runs backwards, but there are others I occasionally spy as well. Newly added to the list of these oddballs is this creepy fishing guy.

Scooter and I see him on our evening walks, and he's always stationed by one of the nearby canals where he's got several fishing poles set up. His "unique look" is always the same: No shirt, just sportin' a pair of faded cutoffs, beer belly hanging out for all the world to see, a leathery sort of tan, faded tattoos on both biceps, cigarette hanging off his bottom lip, and a cracked beer in his left hand. It's a look that Jerry has described as "My wife left me 5 years ago and I just don't give a crap anymore."

The guy freaks Scooter out (more because of the fishing poles than the tanned beer belly), and frankly, he kinda freaks me out as well. He looks like the sort who drives a white van with no windows. I wish he'd find some different canals to fish in.

The Kindness of Strangers:
Being visibly pregnant does have some advantages, like people opening doors for you and offering you their seat, but do you know what population doesn't give a crap that you're pregnant? Old people.

Seriously, the elderly don't give a rat's ass. They are still gonna stroll down the middle of the grocery store aisle in front of you with 3 things in their cart, they are still gonna ask you to fetch them things from the top of shelves, and they're still gonna butt in front of you in line at the deli. And today, I seriously thought that as I was walking across the parking lot at Walgreens that this old lady was gonna run me down in her Caddy. Either she didn't see me, or she really was gonna just plow me over, but either way, I picked up the pace to get outta her way!

A Dog's Sense of Time:
I am convinced that on some instinctual level, Scooter can tell time. Doubt me? Witness the following routine to most of our days: He gets up at 6 am and shakes to signal to either Jerry or I that it is time for him to go outside and pee; after peeing and enjoying his breakfast kibble, he returns to bed until 10 am, at which time, he gets up and is ready for a longer jaunt outdoors. When we come back inside, then it's "toy time" and he promptly fetches the 3 toys he and I always play with.

That wears him out for the following 4 hours, but at 2 pm, he's ready to repeat the 10 am routine of a walk and toys. Then he crashes for a few hours, but at 4:15, he goes and stands by the front door because that's when Jerry gets home. At 5 pm, he's looking at me with his "it's time for my dinner" eyes, and around 7 pm when I go to change into walking clothes, he comes and sits by me and waits, knowing that lacing up my shoes means that we're going for the evening's long walk.

I know, logically, that his actions are all rooted in learned routines, but sometimes it's eerie. I can be absorbed in a book and he comes trotting into the office to stare at me, and I look up at the clock and see that it's 2 pm on the nose, and it makes me think there's more to it than practiced routine.

20 comments:

Neese said...

FIRST (LOL!)

Doggies are so sweet... Jeff sits and stares at us @ 9:30pm when he gets his nightly treat. He'll make sure he manuevers himself that if we are watching TV he is in between us and the TV. SO cute.

Wes said...

Scooter is beyond brilliant!

d.a.r. said...

Scooter is a smart cookie!! My dogs know when I am staying up too late, they will go put themselves to bed without me!

X-Country2 said...

Don't dogs morph into their owners over time. Of course he's brill!

Marlene said...

He must have some kind of internal clock going on... or maybe he's just a genius dog!

Weird fishing man would totally creep me out.

JojaJogger said...

Now all you have to do is have Scooter teach Norah about time and schedules ;)

Anonymous said...

Animals are crazy like that. Unfortunately they have no clue about Daylight savings Time.

Christie said...

Yeah, leathery skin guy seems kinda creepy. Old people never give a damn. They figure, they're old and they can do and say what the hell they want. And Scooter is the cutest. I really want a dog some day.

MCM Mama said...

That guy sounds creepy!

DC business men are just as annoying as old people when pregnant. When I was 9 months with Jones, I had one push me out of the way to get the last seat on the metro.

LOL at Scooter's time telling abilities. Pay attention as he may learn Norah's signals before you do.

N.D. said...

Haha, I second that about old people. They don't care if you are carrying a 15 lb baby and 15 lb carseat that he is in either.

Lily on the Road said...

Now, only if he can train Nora!!!

Casey said...

I can imagine how you feel at 6! Wex does this thing where he stretches and kisses us each on our noses. Then he jumps down and cries at the door to be let out. It's not always at 6a, though. Sadly, it ranges from 330a to 7a. Scooter has his times DOWN!

Carly said...

You hit it right on with the old people!

Oz Runner said...

ha ha, i love your description of creepy fishing guy...i think i know him....btw, congrats on winning story of the month..way to go

Stuart said...

It must be something to do with Gods waiting room and new life...such is the the big circle!

Erin said...

They are nice to you now but wait until you are lugging a baby, a car seat, a bag, etc. Because once that baby's not inside you, all chivalry goes out the window. That's when you WANT/NEED someone to hold the door for you.

Scooter's a smart dog. Annie knows time too. She's a great backup alarm clock.

Carolina John said...

yes dogs can tell time. at least, they want to be let out at the exact same time every day. I also called that time "the moment i fell asleep"

RunnerGirl said...

Scout is the same way about her routine. She sits and waits for my husband to come home every afternoon at the same time and if I even glance at my running shoes, she takes off to find her leash :)

Katie A. said...

I swear my Lilly can tell time, too! And I swear she is "talking" to her friends at doggy-daycare!
Creepy fishing guy and that crazy old lady in the cady sure are keeping you on your toes! Enjoy the last few weeks of quiet! :)

Aron said...

my cats are even worse than that dogs about telling time... i think its just through their stomach though :) they KNOW when its time for breakfast!