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From: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: dogs
Message-ID: <14776@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 4 Oct 90 19:11:32 GMT
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[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 GP>  meaningful perspective.  All I can say, however, is that I 
 GP>  never heard a dog user ask themselves the same questions you 
 GP>  have asked. I've never heard a dog user go through the effort 
 GP>  of justifying his/her use of a dog.  Not once.

Gary,
     That's because every dog user, and I do mean USER, not somebody who
goes and gets a well trained pet, is so sure they made the right
decision once they are out working their pooch, that traveling any other
way becomes inconceivable!
      Ok, maybe that is just my experience, but I am pretty sure I have
a lot of company!

     At risk of boring everybody who has heard this one, I'm going to
tell it again...
     My first walk with Strider at Morristown wasn't exactly an earth
shattering experience for me.  In fact, we were both so nervous that we
both just let out sighs of relief as we returned to the van, and said,
"Boy, am I glad we made it through that without losing life or limb!"
     Well, it didn't take too many trips till we were feeling pretty
comfortable with each other, and one day as we were trotting along at a
steadily increasing pace, we got hung up between two old wobblies with
shopping carts on a narrow sidewalk.  They were gabbing and gabbing to
each other, and wern't even aware that we were behind them, so not much
chance of us getting past.
     Well, Strider was weaving slowly left to right, much like I used to
do when I raced motorcycles and got stuck behind the pack after I had
lapped them (Well, it makes a better story if I lap them than if they
lapped me, doesn't it?) looking for just a hint of a clear spot to make
our move.  Well, the sidewalk must have widened for a minute, cause the
two elderly matrons separated just enough, Strider made his break, I
followed him perfectly, and we were on our way blowing exhaust fumes in
their faces!  (No more windbreaker jokes please!)
     Gary, I got a grin from ear to ear that they talked about for quite
a while at Seeing Eye, cause they knew right then and there that I was
going to have the time of my life!  The closest thing I have ever had to
the thrill of a bike race was that morning at Seeing Eye, and I plan on
having it time, and time, and time again!
                                        Willie
 

... Even if you're not the lead dog, the view can be interesting!

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