Dog Attack!

I was on summer break from college. My summer job had me employed as a locker repairman, high school lockers and locker rooms. The bulk of the job entailed oiling the hinges, changing the lock combinations, replacing parts, and unbending bent doors. The repair crew consisted of six guys, all college age, and most of us skateboarded.


Summer 1988

It was the end of a work day and several of us stayed for a while in an adjacent parking lot skateboarding. This was an industrial neighborhood and we had apparently disturbed a dog, guard or stray possibly, or had unknowingly intruded upon its territory.

From fifty feet away it barked, growled, and then charged showing lots of teeth. I’m no body language expert, but this wasn’t going to be good. Sadly, I was the nearest interloper so I was the target for its angst release. I’ve made prior blog admittances of my friendly affinity toward dogs [blog entry from 5/5/2009]. But self preservation ranks more highly than dogs on the list of things that I like.

I wasn’t pleased with what the immediate future held for me. No chance of outrunning the beast, so I didn’t even try. There were only seconds remaining until the anticipated moment of impact. Without thinking, like a 3rd baseman reacting to a line drive down the line to make a diving snatch, I picked up my skateboard and held it like a baseball bat. Nice instinctive move, I surprised myself. I was ready to swing at the dog, but hoped it would not have to be. Recognizing, I guess, that I had a weapon in my hand, the dog took a few more steps and stopped. Perhaps it didn’t like my body language. Could it not read my desperation and fright? It turned around and retreated at a jog.

Dog attack thwarted! My friends, having witnessed what could very well have been my canine administered destruction, obliged my request that we call it a day.

-klem