Snow Ice Walkabout Adventure: A Monday Encounter

Due to the snow and ice weekend before last and the cold temperatures that didn’t get above freezing for days, we haven’t been venturing out much.  While I did work this past Friday and Saturday, I wasn’t able to go out for a walk last week.  I need my walkabouts with coffee a couple times a week.

As much as I love my wonderful wife, Deana, and our adorable 3 furry kids, I like to venture out as much as I can.  We moved to Norman, OK a little over a month ago, but due to the time of year, I haven’t been able to venture all over the city like I normally would. 

Today, the weather was scheduled to be fair and sunny, a balmy 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  One of the coffee shops I wanted to try is BeanStalk.  They have a huge selection and reached out to me on social media when asking for a good coffee shop in town.  Once I got there, the staff was friendly, helpful, and offered to read things for me since I can’t see. 

After enjoying a fantastic coffee and a iced oatmeal cookie, I started my way down Main Street in the general direction of home.  I started to walk by City Hall, but due to the road work, I was unable to do so today. 

As I trudged homeward, the treacherous icy sidewalk stretched endlessly before me, offering no escape. Just as I began to steady myself, the ominous sound of a dog’s approaching footsteps pierced the silence, accompanied by the escalating growl of heavy breathing that sent a shiver down my spine. 

In that heart-pounding instant, fear gripped me like a vice. The dog was invisible, a shadow of impending doom hurtling my way. Would it topple me to the ground? Would its jaws clamp down with ferocity? Or in a twist of fate, it would shower me with slobbery affection? The absence of its owner only deepened the mystery. My mind raced with these frantic questions as I desperately tried to pinpoint the beast’s origin.

In the blink of an eye, the world around me transformed into a whirlwind of fur and chaos. The unmistakable sound of paws pounding against the ground reached my ears, and before I could fully comprehend the situation, a doodle. Perhaps it was a mix of breeds, its identity lost in the flurry—collided with me with the force of a small, enthusiastic train. I was caught off guard, my balance faltering as I stumbled backward, trying desperately to regain my composure. The cacophony of its barks echoed through the air, each one more fervent than the last, fueled by the rhythmic clatter of a cane that seemed to amplify the dog’s excitement. My heart raced, torn between the instinct to flee and the overwhelming urge to surrender to the absurdity of the moment. Should I dash away, risking a tumble on the uneven ground, or simply laugh at the sheer unpredictability of life, acknowledging my defeat in this unexpected encounter? The decision hung in the air, as tantalizing as the mystery of the dog’s identity. 

Then, I heard the voice of the owner.  I laughed it off and said I was fine, of course.  Then, a Norman City Police Officer pulled up and asked if I was ok.  I said I was, so we both laughed and he drove away.  99% of dogs are friendly to me, but it is always the 1% that you have to worry about.  Getting bit is not my idea of a fun afternoon in the park. 

All ended well and I made it back home safely.  It provided me with some entertainment and a story to tell to you all.