6/21/2020
I thought she said, "Australian Kettle Dog”. That's what it sounded like and definitely what it looked like. A dog like a log with with devil ears. She picked it up by the scruff of the neck and dropped it into the Charles River like it was an anchor. She talked to me like I was expecting to see her. I had actually seen her once before. About a week or 2 ago. Similar situation. She walked right over and plopped the dog in the water. Small talk, hot sun, wet dog.
This time, I’m sitting there in between sleep, lunch, daydreaming while getting too much unemployment sun. This is on one of the docks along Charles River Esplanade. My current lunch break location during my furlough-to-layoff Covid isolation. Feeling like a fool with my shirt off and bored with the book I’m reading. The tin foil and wax paper from my homemade lunch is now filled with orange peel and an apple core is next to me and my sneakers on a towel.
She quickly offered a lot of information as her dog swam the length of the dock. She told me that she walked over from Comm Ave and Fairfield. She was going to visit her parents on the Cape this weekend. She and her brother were going to be socially-distant-responsible and camp in tents in the backyard. As a psychiatric nurse, she sees a variety of people and doesn't want to jeopardize her parents with the coronavirus. I’m taking this situation in and offer very little in return. I’m self conscious. There’s a lot of people out, but its also very quiet. Everything I say sounds dumb. 3 months of no bars, restaurants or work have made me unprepared to be a person.
The Kettle Dog is drying itself off by rubbing its back into the dock. A thick coat of fur into the wooden dock. I can almost feel the splinters. She’s now smoking pot, telling me how quickly the dog will dry. We look over at the dog, about 10 feet away, it’s back to us. It’s standing up with perfect posture. Pointy ears perked, "She’s watching me with her ears” the dog owner, pot smoker, psychiatric nurse tells me. Its suddenly time for her to go. "Have a good weekend, and have fun camping” I stupidly say. I turn around and watch them continue along the Esplanade. Cut off shorts, yellow-flowery tank top. Dog trotting along. Happy-go-lucky.
Later on I look up, Australian Kettle Dog. Turns out it's Cattle Dog. Wikipedia says they're known for "droving cattle over long distances across rough terrain” They have a purpose and they’re named for it. But, I still like Kettle Dog. It also has a purpose, they can be comforting, friendly and inviting while helping prepare people to feel like people.
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