Dogs on the beach, a short story

 “Good morning”, the man said. He was being led by two dogs that, depending on how you feel about dogs, looked either very sweet or a bit menacing. They were leaving the beach, bounding up the boardwalk access with great enthusiasm.  It was about 11am on New Year Day 2013 and it was clear the trio were thrilled to have had the chance to enjoy some sandy freedom on this windy and unusually temperate winter day. He was nice, the dogs were nice.  I am nice too so although I was tempted to educate him about our dogs on the beach rules as it was well after the doggy curfew hours, I held my tongue and smiled back. At least they were on leash.  Besides, my New Year resolution is to be fun.

In the distance Bruce and I could see another dog playing in the dune lake. Even from the distance you could see this dog was a beauty and would be a good subject for my dogs at the beach slide show. Bruce said, “I bet you are going to want to take some pictures of that one, eh?”  He knows I am nutty for dogs and looked a little surprised when I looked up at him more than a little conflicted. “I love the dogs,” I tell him. “But I will be voicing against them at the county commissioners meeting next week. So I feel kind of bad taking their pictures anymore.” He looked even more surprised. I tell him, “I don’t think we should permit more dogs on the beach. Tourists aren’t going to go buy a permit anyhow. And how do we enforce the rules? We don’t enforce them now. ” I went on, “As much as the dogs enjoy the fun, and I enjoy watching them, I believe in the permit laws. Not all dogs get along nicely and a lot of people are really scared of dogs. And what about the other creatures on the beach? What about the sand dunes?”

Bruce suggests I take a breath.

I keep thinking about it though. The expansion of the rule is essentially about adding more dogs on the beach. What are the consequences? We walk pass a sweet little family and watch their little toddler as he practices first steps. Everything is beautiful.

We are getting closer and closer to the fun couple playing with their fun dog in the pretty dune lake. They are having so much fun and I am starting to feel guilty having these restrictive thoughts in my head.  And then, watching the cheerful scene, I take a step right into a fresh pile of dog pooh, in my bare feet. “Poetic justice,” I say. “Nothing poetic about that,” Bruce replies. I wipe the fresh, gooey mess on my foot into the sand at the edge of the dune lake and then give it a good rinse in the salt water waves of the gulf water. The fun couple and the fun dog continue to play, guilty or not.