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Everyday I pass that yard those scrawny dogs rush out at me. I’m not sure they remembered our first encounter only that we had one, and in their minds, that scene had to be replayed each time our path crossed. This was no doubt a game for them, one which they relished.

I had to pass these animals to visit my new girlfriend Kay. She lived next-door to the yard which housed those malnourished mongrels. They say that a man will climb any mountain to see the girl of his dreams, but this was beginning to prove more than I could handle.

Today I came armed with a big stick in my right hand and a few choice stones in my back pocket. I had picked them up by the river that I once thought would be the only obstacle that stands between me and my sweet darling Kay.

Everyday I had to formulate a new defensive strategy; because those dogs seem to have their attacks planed. They executed it with pin-point accuracy so I had to come prepared. In addition, I came half an hour earlier to throw them off. I have not been able to determine how many of them there are yet, five or six maybe more. These dogs must have been trained by the Taliban. Their ambush was always undetected until the last moment.

We lived deep in the hills of St. Catherine. My house is in a place called Darling Spring just over the river and Kay lived in the district called Crawl which was about two miles away up the hill. A main road linked the two communities. This road was paved but it added distance to my journey so I would cut across the river then use a narrow rugged path that lead directly up the hill through the bushes. This was no walk in the park but it would cut my journey in half.

The trip was usually a relaxing one that was until I came near to Kay’s house. At this point, I would anticipate an attack. Somehow, it was never quite came the way I expected. I had already lost a pant to them and came close to being bitten. I did not want to loose another one today.

My heart pounded a familiar rhythm. I felt a surge of adrenalin rush through my body. I thought the dogs would appear anytime now. There was no sound except the pounding of my heart and the crackle of the leaves as I walked slowly under the big mango tree at the corner of the road. I turned around swiftly in response to a thump and a crackle behind me. I was just in time to see a mango roll to a stop. I was relieved but I suspected it was not over.

The next three minutes felt like three hours. That was how long it took me to get out of the danger zone. Had my strategy worked? Did the half an hour early do the trick today? Surely, the dogs weren’t smart enough to figure that one out I had thought.

I was about to celebrate my victory when I saw two figures standing at the border of the two properties in the distance. They were compromisingly close. I froze. There were no other houses in the immediate vicinity. The female figure looked like Kay but who was the other? I had never seen the next door neighbour but I knew it was male. That much I knew because Kay mentioned it.

“Kay?” My voice creaked.

They separated quickly then the man disappeared over the next door property. Kay turned towards me and smiled nervously.

“Junior, you’re early.”

I was now speechless.

“It’s not what it looks like” She continued.

I did not know what I was feeling. The next few moments were excruciating. I managed to gain control of my legs and took two steps back turned and ran in the opposite direction. I had forgotten about the dogs and if they attacked, I didn’t remember. The pain I felt was worse than a dog bite.

I never saw Kay again but I still wonder about her relationship to her neighbour and those scrawny dogs. Were those dogs deliberately set there to warn them of my approach. I guess I’ll never know but it still hurts.

Rohan goldsmith © 2007

THE END