Luckily my title was not in reference to the dog that attacked me this morning on my run. Do you all know I'm incredibly frightened of dogs? Especially big dogs that are not on leashes? Well, I am. I always have been, as long as I can remember. I'm not particularly fond of any animals; Matt says I'm an animal hater. I dispute that statement. I'm just not fond of them. I don't like them licking my toes, jumping up on me, or rubbing up against me. When he says I hate animals I feel like I've been lumped in with all those psychopathic killers that torture animals. I don't ever hurt animals. I just don't want to own any. Please don't hold it against me. I think I had traumatic experiences with dogs when I was little.
Anyway, as I was jogging this morning I had my first unwanted run in with a large dog. As I turned a corner he bolted out of his owner's door and made a bee-line for me. I screamed bloody murder as he jumped up on me. Standing on his hind legs he was just a little shorter than me. I stopped jogging and tried to get it to go away. It just kept jumping on me and I was having a little trouble breathing because I was scared. After what seemed like a very long time (probably only a minute, but still) the owner came to reclaim her dog. I breathlessly said, "Sorry I'm just so afraid of dogs." She replied, "Oh honey, he ain't going to bite you. He's a nice dog. Sorry he scared you." She kept telling him to stay and to stop, but as I tried to leave he kept following me. She ended up having to hold him down while I jogged off with a little tear running down my face, camouflaged by my sweat. It took me about two blocks to be able to breath normally again. I was freaked.
But that's not what bit me. As I was reading on the couch I felt something moving on my neck. Usually I am quite paranoid though it's usually a hair that's brushing up against me. But all of a sudden I see this jumping spider leap off me and onto the couch. I quickly got a kleenex and killed it straightaway. It wasn't until I went to pick Matt up about 10 minutes later that I realized my arm was bleeding and had a little raised mark. odd. I figure it had to be that spider. I can't imagine what else it could have come from. Now I'll just have to watch to make sure no skin starts dying on me. Texas has been known to harbor brown recluses. I don't think it was one, but I'll be monitoring my arm all the same.
6 comments:
I, too, am not a dog person. People can have their big, mean dogs and their little snippy ones, but they can keep them, for all I care. Just so long as they keep them away from me.
But the problem is...part of me wishes I was a dog person, that I had a nice, little friendly dog who was always clean, who would cuddle on my lap while I read books, and who would go on walks with me. Someday, maybe..
I'm with you on the dog part. For me, it's the constant begging for attention. I hate all things needy. Be they animals or people. There are times I just need to be left alone and I don't want to have to pander for your neuroses.
Plus I have this thing about my hands. I hate getting them dirty. I was a constant hand washer most of my life and have only toned it down the past couple years. Getting dog slobber on my hands freaks me out.
Okay, here's what I hate about this blogger site. It doesn't allow you to edit your comments. And I tend to change my sentences mid-thought too often and forget to reread it until I post. I didn't mean "pander for your neuroses", I meant "pander to your neuroses". Stupid-head blogger....
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No recluses in California.
For a delightful jaunt with recluses, read the last chapter of The Red Hourglass. (Entire book highly recommended.)
The bite's mostly gone away. It got a little worse that first night, but the next day it was already going down and now it lookw like a needle mark or something.
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The good news is, not everyone reacts to recluse bites by watching their arm blacken and fall off.
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