Diaries I Read:
I saw a coyote last night while I was walking Dixie.
I was already on edge, thinking that there might be one around, for several reasons:
1. I had been running earlier that evening and heard one howling.
2. I saw on the news recently that April and May are the months when coyotes are most likely to be seen.
3. It was trash night, so there were lots of tasty treats lying around for a hungry coyote.
4. It was after midnight, much later than I usually walk Dixie.
Dixie was even acting a little weird, sniffing extra long at certain spots and just seeming a little agitated. When we came upon a little grassy BBQ area on the corner, where she usually likes to chase rabbits, she was at the end of her leash, trying to get into the bushes and get a good sniff. She was being especially pushy, but I pulled her back in because it was late and I wanted to get the walk over with.
We walked to the other corner, and we usually go farther but I decided to turn around and go back home. I turned around, and there was a coyote, right at the corner we had just passed, where Dixie had been pulling on her leash. He was about 25 yards away.
I quickly scooped Dixie up in my arms and just stood there looking at the coyote, not knowing what to do. The coyote stopped, too, and looked back at us. I had a big metal flashlight with me, so I crouched down (which I knew might not be a good idea but I didn�t have a choice) and started banging it on the sidewalk.
After a few seconds of that, the coyote took off across the street, away from the direction of our house. I started walking quickly back to the house, holding Dixie tight in my arms. When we got to the corner where the coyote had just been, she started barking.
I kept walking toward the house � I didn�t think it was wise to run, even though that�s really what I wanted to do � looking over my shoulder the whole time. When we reached the house, I noticed that Dixie was shaking. Weird, since she hadn�t seemed frightened before. Maybe she was sensing my fear � I was shaking for sure.
And actually, she seemed a little nervous after that, too. I tried to get her to go in the backyard with me, since she hadn�t gone to the bathroom on her walk, but she wouldn�t come outside. And when we went to bed, she curled up in a tight little ball way down at the foot of the bed.
The story itself is actually pretty anti-climactic, I guess. Thank God. It�s just that I�ve been fearing a coyote encounter ever since we moved to our house, and it was like a bad dream coming true. I�m just so afraid of one coming after Dixie. And now that I�ve seen one, I�m going to be even more scared to take her out at night.
No more midnight walks for Dixie and me.
Working at home - Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004
Toronto - Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004
On the way to Toronto... - Tuesday, Nov. 09, 2004
A Good Day - Monday, Nov. 08, 2004
Another letter - Thursday, Nov. 04, 2004