The River Came In Today

Two to three times a week I go running after my days activities….on these days I have different routes I take as to mix up the scenery and to explore different areas near the center of town.…you quickly move from paved to unpaved…..from electricity to none and the world changes within a five minute 34 year olds running pace (we all know I have the speed of a large jungle cat so the age is not a factor). Every day on my run a select group of young children and men over the age of fifty then recreate the scene from Rocky where he is running through the streets of Philadelphia and a large group starts assembling around admiring his spirit and the fact that within the film he embodies the spirit of the city of Philadelphia itself. For me it is not as poetic or inspiring but it adds a good deal to my daily existence. I would gather 75% of the people that see me think it is highly entertaining that a human being runs just to run…..they find it a novel idea…..kids think I am training to be a soccer player, people my age think I run marathons, older people just sit and grin…….and the neighborhood dogs all love having a go at running after me trying to pearl harbor me with an ankle bite. In training they encouraged us to keep a rock or two in our hands in case a dog were to make a go at you while out running on trails. I refused the method and was fully convinced that no dog could outwit me…..all I have needed thus far was a turn and lounge as the animal approached. They are all show…..until today-there are more dogs roaming free down here than one can imagine….most all are ragged, malnutritioned, and at various points having relations all over town……it is quite a show. So as I departed on my run today determined to reach a certain destination point that has been my longest to date I was pleased as everyone I seem to pass seems increasingly friendly….I have even taken to jogging in place which is one of the most absurd activities a human being can participate in….if you are reading this….just get up and jog in place for twenty seconds regardless of where you are and see how it feels….ok now imagine me doing that. So many kids, families etc stop you to ask questions that if I did not adopt this practice I would never raise my heart rate over anything more than a brisk walk….so here I am in the chakra….running-stopping….running-stopping….so now when I stop I keep my legs motoring…indicating I am not here to stay…and convey the utter importance of my trot. I have yet to venture out and not try and get wrangled into drinking chichi or cerveza to date-I was once stopped for a two hour home visit and had a townperson come looking for me as they were worried I had fallen into a ditch. So today was no different run….stop…jog in place……I reached my point of turn around with relative ease and felt the wind running up my back as I began my way back…it was a scene as it should be….today the river arrived….there is no water in the river 9 months a year but today it arrived….there were little kids jumping about in the water yelling my name….people waving….music blaring in my ears as I approached the paved portion of the town….when it happened. Basking in the glory of my life experience I failed to notice a very small dog running up my heels and before I knew it he had clamped down on the back of my heel. I exaggerate not when I say that I barely felt it….it just scared the life out of me. I yelped like a small school child and just did what came most naturally which was to shake it loose and when it came out me again…I kicked this dog like a soccer ball….I got it square to….it was like when you get the sweet spot of a bat on a baseball…or when you just shoot a ball and you know it is going in a hoop…imagine what you do best and when your doing it at your best and it embodies my kick. I got it under the chest so I did not kick its face or teeth….although I was just kicking but regardless I launched the animal a good three feet which put it squarely descending down the ditch and tumbling into the river. So there went my enemy…..trying to gather its wits and me trying to figure what to do. With a bit of luck there were three youth no more than 25 feet down stream cheering and celebrating as they should have been in my opinion….I mean the dog deserved it…if ever I chase you and bite your heel feel free to kick me. They wrangled the little fella out of the water and up on to the bank where it climbed up shamed and dripping with the defeat. I never would have imagined myself at 34 in a foreign land doing foreign things, I would have never imagined myself beekeeping, and I have never sought out to kick a dog (with one exception) but here I am growing up before my own eyes….maturing at a rapid pace and punting dogs into rivers.