unleashed

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Scooter came. I CAN, theoretically, start it manually; it has a pull start. But my hands and arms are weak today (probably from trying so hard to start the OLD scooter!). So, I plugged in the battery charger; I'll start it with the ignition, tomorrow.

So, no trip to the grocery for cheap bread. But I did walk to the Pueblo Center and the nearby Walgreens (they mark stuff down a lot, and have cheap sodas, so I frequently stop when I pass). Apparantly, a nearly-microscopic sliver of glass got into my shoe and worked its way into the ball of my foot. So, it was an even slower walk home, I couldn't see it well enough to get it out on the road.

By the time I turned the corner to my street, I was limping pretty badly. I'm pretty fatigued, from assembling the scooter, trying to start it, etc., not to mention all the yardwork and stuff I did today. The sun was setting in my eyes and I was nearly blind.

I saw a woman, baby on her hip, coming toward me, yelling at a German shepherd. She entered a gate before I would have to pass them. The dog did not stay in their yard; it started running toward me. I could do nothing but freeze in the middle of the road and pray.

I said, "there's a leash law." She reacted very rudely. Her behavior was pure brat. Although dressed like a hippy, I think (since they're young and bought a rather expensive house) she's probably upper middle class, and expects the world to behave by her standards.

She called me a bitch. I simply responded, "you're breaking the law." She continued mocking and ridiculing me as I walked home. I just kept repeating, "you're breaking the law."

I just wrote this. I'm going to put it near their mail box. She has no idea how lucky she is to live on this street. For the most part, the neighbors are wonderful. it's peaceful here, now that we ran off the drug dealer. She'll make lots of enemies here, if they keep this up. And nobody here is hesitant to drop a dime to the authorities, if they don't like what another neighbor is doing that impacts on them.

I am disabled. I am vision impaired and I have an autoimmune disease. I cannot see well enough, especially if your dog comes up behind me. I cannot defend myself. My balance is bad and I am very weak. He could easily knock me down and hurt me very badly.

Hardly anybody on this street is as young and able-bodied as you. This neighborhood is full of older, disabled people. We need sleep. We need peace. We do not need some woman, shouting at her unleashed dog, in the middle of the street. In addition, some of us work nights.

Your unleashed dog is perfectly capable of jumping my wall or gate. He could easily kill my chickens, duck and goats. He is capable of chasing after my roommate, or me when we ride our bikes down this street and becoming tangled in the wheels.

There are several young punks who like to speed down this street. They could easily kill your unleashed dog.

One neighbor on this street despises others’ animals and threatens to kill them. She also puts ant bait out on the sidewalk in front of her house. It is very attractive. It smells like both sugar and meat, to attract both types of ants. Your unleashed dog could eat it.

I am not a bitch. I am your neighbor. I deserve respect. I have the right to walk down my own street, without fear of injury from an unleashed, out-of-control dog.

Frankly, any woman who would curse like that in front of her own child shows more-than-questionable reason.

You do not know me. However, I know enough about you to know you are: self-righteous, abusive, ignorant, arrogant, irresponsible and self-obsessed. You do not care that your dog could hurt or kill, or be hurt or killed.

I stated a simple fact: “ there’s a leash law.” You chose to address me with hostility, abuse and disrespect. I will not warn you again. Next time, I will have Environmental Services deal with you. They site people who do not control or protect their animals. Grow up and join your community.