Sunday in the Park with Homer

We were standing at the entrance to the Parco del Ticino (the park that follows the Ticino River north of Milan) some years ago, reading a sign that said — among a whole list of prohibitions — “No dogs allowed.” And there we were, my husband, myself, and our large and not-in-the-least-inconspicuous Weimaraner, Homer.

In typical Italian fashion, my husband said, “What kind of park would put up a restriction like that? Ignore it.” I was glad there was almost no one else around. The parking lot was practically empty; we didn’t see a soul along the trail.

We had barely proceeded two steps into the park when hubby suggested, “Let Homer off the leash. We are all alone.” I hesitated, not because I thought my dog would run off and disappear: I knew him too well for that. But rather because there might have been some other dog loose and running around, a canine not as good-hearted as mine.

This had been Homer’s birthday present, a week early. It was paradise for him. A gravelly stretch along the Ticino riverbank, then a long leafy trail through the woods. A few walkers here and there, almost no one really. Homer covered three times the distance we did, with all his comings and goings, bounding ahead and then retracing his steps.

After 75 minutes of walking, we decided to turn back and I snapped his leash back on. By then more people were appearing on the trail, and more dogs too. So much for prohibitions. Most of the pets were on leash but . . . who could be sure? I strained to check ahead to see what was moving toward us so that we wouldn’t be caught unawares. I spotted a leashed dog in time to rein Homer in, and was very glad to have done so when we passed the animal, a Staffordshire bull terrier. “It’s a first cousin to a pit bull,” I explained to my spouse.

“That’s a mean-looking mother,” was his reaction. “It’s all head and ugly too.” His observation was a matter of personal taste but understandable, since his canine preferences had been shaped by proximity to our Weimaraner, a perfectly-proportioned exemplaire of a supremely elegant breed.

I was equally alert when I saw two human-looking blobs in the distance holding leashes attached to two canine-shaped forms. The large forms and the leashed shapes turned right, off the path we were walking by the…

Related posts:

I am looking at buying a road bike to save money on gas. i am 21 years old and have a good driving history. how much do you pay for insurance? I live in Michigan? do i need insurance? does it matter…

Imagine a world without borders or edges. Where colours merge together without visible transitions and perceptible lines evaporate like smoke. What would you have? Before Leonardo DaVinci changed the…

How has the relationship between love and lust changed since the time of Romeo and Juliet? The theme of “love vs. lust” is strongly represented in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet during the…