It has been almost three months since I have moved back to Beaumont. One of my daily rituals around here is an hour-long walk that I take on the neighborhood streets. My route changes from time-to-time, but basically it is the same set of streets. I also try to go about the same time each morning with hopes that it will not be so danged hot. Usually it ends up being hot and humid as is the climate here in the summer.
I see a lot of the same faces on my morning walks as well as a lot of the same dogs. As I walk down North Street, I see this Mexican man waiting on his porch to go to work. I finally said: “Buenos dias” to him this morning and he returned the greeting.
As I turn up Sixth Street I usually pass this woman who walks with her arms moving above her waist. It’s like she is trying to dance “The Twist” but doesn’t swivel her hips and just keeps walking. That just doesn’t seem natural. She always has a serious look on her face as if she is about to unleash an atomic-tipped rocket on Houston.
Moving a little farther up Sixth I see the two Rottweilers that are behind a fence and are tied up with the kind of chain you would see in a mechanic’s shop. Sometimes they stand up with their paws on top of the fence and bark at me, and sometimes not. I’m not keen on keeping dogs chained up all the time, but frankly, I’m glad these are. I would hate like hell for these dogs to leap over that fence and turn me into puppy chow.
I also run into a black shaggy dog from time-to-time that runs loose in the vicinity of Sixth Street. It is a moody mutt. Some days it’ll bark at me but I think that is only if I look at it. I can stomp my foot at the dog and it will cower and whimper. Big sissy.
On the numbered streets on the other side of Seventh Street, I usually see this tall, thin blonde walking what appears to be a black Labrador retriever. She must be giving the dog obedience training because she makes it sit before they cross the street. This woman, also rather severe in temperament, carries this big metal pooper scooper. I mean that sucker is huge. It looks like something the train station janitors use to sweep up the trash. Maybe that’s why the blond lady isn’t very friendly — she is being weighted down by that pooper scooper. Set it free missy! Set that pooper scooper free and be a happy person! Find some other way to pick up the dog crap that doesn’t make your arm fall off.
Then there is this guy who jogs all around the area in which I walk. He looks to be my age or a bit older, has gray hair and always runs with his shirt off. I guess he’s proud of his body which I suppose is something to be proud of, although I have never had one of those type bodies. At least this guy will exhale: “Hi.” Except it comes out “Huhhhh.” I sure hope he stays healthy because I don’t really relish giving anyone CPR at 7:30 in the morning.
That is just some of the dogs and people I have seen. They make my life infinitely interesting for a few minutes at least.
PS: The dog in the photo isn’t from the neighborhood. Morten from Norway took the photo. I guess it is his dog. I got the picture off of MorgueFile.com.