“There’s a goat over there!” Ming said. We were walking in our neighborhood, by a vacant lot, and he was looking into a messy yard through a chainlink fence.
“Where?” I asked.
“Over there!” he said. “By the fence?”
I tried to see the goat. “That’s a dog!” I said.
“No, it’s not!” he said.
“Do you mean that goat-shaped chair?” I asked.
“What chair?” Ming asked. We were laughing.
“It’s against the fence,” I said. “What color is the goat?”
“Brown and white,” Ming said.
“Ruff, ruff, ruff!” said the goat.
“Hmm, goats don’t usually bark like that,” I said.
“I swear!” he said. We laughed and laughed.
“You’re just trying to make me happy,” I said.
We continued on our walk, Ming still asserting that a goat lives there. He says he saw the goat with our community member M. M does not see so well, so this vouch did not lend credibility to his story.
A rooster crowed, and I said that was a rooster, not a goat. But roosters and goats can go together.
definite dog
The next door neighbors have dogs. One is a German Shepherd that has way too much energy to be indoors almost all day! I was sitting in the driveway, getting some sun, and the big dog was released from the house to the yard, to pee or poo, I guess. The dog was excited, climbing on their car, pacing energetically, sensing everything.
I had a fantasy of asking if I could walk their dog. It was a fun idea, to imagine helping the dog have a better life, and helping their household–interconnecting with these people I have loved for a long time but never had an actual conversation with.
“Ok, I have an idea to place before you. Please do not think I’m crazier than I actually am,” I said to Ming.
“Ok,” Ming said.
“I had this fantasy about asking if I can walk that German Shepherd next door. Seems way cooped up, and it would be a way to help that family. What do you think?”
“Sounds great!” Ming said, ever the yay sayer.
“But what if another dog was there, and I wasn’t strong enough to hold it back?” I asked.
“You would say, no, don’t do that!” Ming didn’t seem to think neighborhood dogs would be a problem.
Some urges are to be considered, some to be acted upon, some to be let go of, almost as soon as they arrive. I wanted to give clothes to those neighbors also. The idea is still here, but what’s stopping me? Fear of rejection, I guess, or making anyone uncomfortable.
