A Dog and his Man

Rushing off to have coffee with my oldest friend, yes, she's both, and I'm waiting at the traffic lights. Probably six people standing there and a man with a dog.

The dog is big and black, young, and s/he, let's say he for the sake of typing, is wearing one of those guide-dog braces with a handle. The man is using a lead and the handle swings free. The lights are red.

The man steps onto the road and the dog steps onto the road. The man steps back and takes the dog in a large circle around him with the lead. The dog waits by his side. The man again steps onto the road and the dog again follows. The man circles the dog around him again. This happens three more times. Not a word said. Everyone is watching.

The man steps onto the road. The dog stays back. The man steps back. The man again steps onto the road. The dog stays back. The lights change and the ticking starts. The dog steps out onto the road. The man follows holding the handle.

Tears fill my eyes. I don't know why and I'm doing this as I type. The dog leads the man across the now safe road. The rest of us glance at each other and smile, all of us clearly effected.

It only took this one little thing with a dog and a trainer to make my day. How beautiful it was to see this working dog learn his first lesson about protecting a prospective 'client.'