“The Heat is On”
I wish this was a story of bravery and truth… something noble…
A tale that big is for another place and another time.
This is a simple story- not one with much of a lesson or grandeur, but the true small story of a small dog with big ambitions and a man who just about had enough with life’s little inconveniences.
Clickity, click, click…
Sometimes in life, you will take your time, pause- and make important decisions… other times you will just immediately react and find that your reaction causes even a bigger reaction which, in turn, ultimately has the power to affect your decision-making power for the rest of your life… and that is where my story ends. However, it will make much more sense if I start from the beginning- sequentially speaking that is.
Clickity, click, click…
It was a beautiful day for a bike ride. Cruising on a nifty little route that I began to call my regular ride. Scenic, beautiful and comfortable in a familiar way… I know exactly where all of the potholes are and how to maneuver my bike as necessary along the way.
Clickity, click, click…
I like the back roads of Holland even though they are beaten up pretty good, but then again… so am I. Sometimes when I ride, I feel like flipping the autopilot switch and let the bike guide my way while I lose myself in my thoughts.
I like that…
But that’s when it get’s dangerous.
Clickity, click, click…
By the way… what is that damn sound? So annoying…
Clickity, click, click…
So… I turned around and it was a tiny little terrier’s toenails tapping on the pavement tracking me at 100% top-speed for over a mile now! I had two concerns at this point:
First of all, I’m much larger and moving pretty fast (lets call it 15 – 20mph). But really, if I must brag on my own behalf, I was only at 80% effort and feeling pretty in control… Secondly, what does he hope to get out of this? All these questions raced through my mind as he ran and ran like he had all day long. I honestly tried to put myself in his shoes (or toenails) to see what it was that could possibly come from this except a good workout. Boredom? Something cool to tell his other dog friends about? “Just one last chase before retirement?” The questions were endless… I wish I had a minute of his time.
Clickity, click, click…
… I finally had it. All of the dogs that have ever chased me on my bike… and finally one -that just won’t quit… a suicide mission. It was a mere annoyance and inconvenience to me, but something much bigger to him.
I kept turning to yell at him, as if my yelling was asking him why? Finally, the evil blood surged through my system and this time I was going to turn around and let him know it was time to go home… a swift boot perhaps… or maybe I’ll even spit in his general direction… yeah, that will deliver the message… I’ve never spit at anything in my life before, why not make it now.
Clickity, click, click…
So, I snapped around to deliver the blow and WWWWTTTTTFFFFFFF? WHOAAAAAAA!!! Over the handlebars I went… flat out onto the road across the unforgiving pavement. Time stopped. I don’t even remember being airborne. I just remember jerking the handlebars in his direction and then… skidding across the ground. I lay quietly… I am assessing the situation as I lay still. Is anything broken? How bad is this? I pan my head slowly to the left and see three horses casually starring at me slowly chewing their cud as if nothing happened. I know they saw it happen and didn’t even react… (extra slow deep voice) “Hey, ya see that?”… chew, chew, chew. And another horse responds with… “Yup….” Chew, chew, chew. The third horse said (in a southern draw), “Wow… (chew, chew, chew) been here ten years- saw nuthin’ like that… I would have never bet that dog gone done sumpthin’ like that…” Chew, chew, chew.
Clickity, click, click…
I craned my head even further to look 180 degrees behind me and that little bastard was high-tailing it halfway home…
What was it he was thinking? “Mission accomplished,” perhaps?… OR “I better get the hell out of here!”
I wish this story was more glamorous and had more twists and turns. I wish the dog was bigger or it was an amazing chase of some kind. Maybe I was even noble and helped someone do something great or overcome something amazing.
Nope. Instead it was a sad, sad story of letting your own anger drive you to a place you never realized – the pavement. And contrary to popular belief, it’s not as cushiony as you might imagine. It’s amazing that a little creature so small and tenacious could teach such a huge lesson to a much larger creature who thought they were full of complete wisdom. I share this embarrassing story with you because well… not for the morals or the lesson at hand… but because it’s just so damn pathetic and funny. And if there was a real lesson taught here… it’s simple… don’t mess with any of God’s creatures regardless of their size, shape and drive. Let life run up along side of you and just happen, do not try to control it because you could end up face-first against a very hard, unforgiving surface.
by Steve Tieri