(no subject)

[lhexa]

Many in my neighborhood in Texas raised dogs to guard their property. Some lots would have as many as four or five canines fenced inside a small area, ready to burst out and rage at any person outside the barrier. The dogs frequently escaped, and so strays were a frequent sight while I was growing up. Sometimes a single dog would even become familiar to me, for having lurked in the same area passed periodically by me. I think most, if not all, were eventually caught and killed. Some, few in my opinion, were smart enough to shun people. Most made a game of frightening people, though I never came across a single one that would actually bite me. They'd simply run alongside me, barking and making the occasional dash. Occasionally I would face off against one of the larger dogs while it was threatening me, and simply walk towards it. The dog would stiffen, growling, and stand its ground for as long as it could until finally dashing away to a safer distance. I would make that confrontation in order to conquer my fear. I am awed to think that the dog might have been doing the same.

One night I was riding my bicycle around a nearby lake, when I overtook a pack of these stray dogs. I'm used to seeing them in packs. After escaping from whatever yard had confined it, some instinctual sociability urges every dog to seek company. Their numbers rarely top three or four before they're caught. This group, however, was unusual. I counted six dogs as I passed them one by one, and they reacted to me no more than to move out of my way. Usually the groups are as fearfully aggressive as the lone dogs, and linger in a single place. But these were on some journey, running steadily along the path. It was an unearthly sight, to see these indifferent shapes moving along in the dark; some, the black ones, were no more than running shadows. Later, after I had passed them, I stopped at a water fountain to drink and rest. Soon I had the chance to see them running by again, still not reacting to my presence. I can't guess where they were going, or how long the pack would last before being dispersed by the attentions of animal control. No matter; I was marvelling at the mere fact that they were together and on the move.