So anyway, yesterday I took Roscoe around the corner to the local schoolyard playground to run around a little. It’s always open and I can close the gates so he’s safe to run around in there. It’s just concrete open space with like a handball wall or whatever. When it’s cold out on weekends there’s rarely any kids hanging around in there so it’s a good backup to dog park when I’m feeling lazy.

The problem with playing in the playground is Roscoe doesn’t like to chase balls. Or sticks. So for me to get him to exercise I have to like run away from him and have him chase me around. Basically we run around in the schoolyard together until he gets burnt out on it.

Yesterday there was a small soccer ball left behind. I tried to get Roscoe interested by kicking it across the playground– but he has like zero interest in that. But I was sort of booting it around anyway.

Soon this chubby kid (probably 12) opens the gate and comes walking in to the playground. He’s like, ‘Hey!! That’s my ball!’

I’m like, ‘Ok!! Take your ball…’ (aka wtf you’re the one that left it here– it’s not like I’m stealing it. I’m just kicking it…)

He goes marching across toward his ball and Roscoe runs over to say hello. The kid sort of playfully jumped when Roscoe got close. Which made Roscoe jump. Then the kid started this like juke juke football fake out move (which Roscoe loves). And then he started running and Roscoe chased after him. I was like, ‘Aww… Soccerball kid wants to play with Roscoe.’ I was surprised that he knew exactly how Roscoe likes to play.

The kid is running and Roscoe is chasing and the kid is doing juke juke moves and then sprinting again. I start laughing. Seriously happy that Roscoe was getting his runs out. And then the kid says (totally out of breath), ‘Mister! Can you get your dog! Pleassse!’ Like desperate style. I was like, ‘Ohhhh! Sorry! (aka I get it now! You’re terrified! I thought you were like playing around! I didn’t realize this was a wild dog attack)..’

I call Roscoe over and he immediately comes (which was surprising). And the kid goes marching to the gate with his soccer ball. He didn’t say anything back to me. I was like, “Hey! I’m sorry I didn’t realize you…umm… ” But he didn’t say anything. Didn’t look at me.

After the gate closed and I hit replay in my head– I realized maybe shoulda known play time was over when the running went on a little too long…

ok bye!
tOdd

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