ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

“Go on… go on Brown… go for a walk.”

Brown just stares at Ramone. He wants action not words.

The dog does not budge from his position on the driveway. Ramone smiles and looks at me. “These guys are very pack oriented. They hunt lions… so… I guess they won’t go without me… hm… I guess I’m gonna go home. I’ll see you later.”

When he leaves the house, the dogs follow. So much for pack animal theory, this feels more like the alpha male deal to me. Ramone brings the dogs back in the house and closes the door. The dogs and I wait a few beats. After Ramone’s departure, we exit and begin our loop around the neighborhood. Lucky for these boys, the loop consists of a great deal of meadow. They love it, chasing rabbits, squirrels, what ever, it is nice to be able to do what you are biologically programmed for…

The early morning sun blazes as we make our way across a field. My black sneakers shine with the cleaning efforts of the wet grass. Silver dashes after a rabbit while Brownie stays close to my side.

We follow tire tracks and pass a house. “Hm, is it abandoned?” I think to my self. Hard to tell. Now I am walking on a paved road that has houses every acre or so, cars in the driveway.

I see a dog up ahead. And then a whole bunch of dogs, that I cannot see, start barking up a storm. I turn and start walking back. Don’t want to get too close to that cacophony. Brownie and Silver follow and then I hear someone directing their version of sound at me. Turn to see an old lady, in a pale green robe, standing on her porch. “This is private property,” she says sternly.

She’s about 60 feet away from me and I can barely hear her. “Sorry,” I politely reply.

“This is private property!” She says a bit louder as her emotional engine begins to warm up.

“Sorry.” I say once again. Brown and Silver remain completely silent. They neither responded to the barking dogs nor the reprimanding woman.

“Private property.” I hear once again.

We retrace our footsteps, reenter the meadow. Silver sprints ahead, chasing some critter, Brown trots along my side and I watch a hawk spread its wings and make a turn, just above a tree in the early morning light.