Strange Dogs in Golden Gate Park

Whoa! Golden Gate Park again today - three times in a row! For Pops, a guy who hates routine and repetition, this is kinda strange. He says, "I've lived in the City for 30 years, and I still don't know all of Golden Gate Park! It's fun to explore!" Truth is, he's been kinda limited as to where he can take me 'cause of that pain in his butt. One thing about pain and sickness - it forces you to change your ways! We've been goming to Golden Gate and Buena Vista Parks a lot lately 'cause he couldn't drive, and these are in walking distance. 'Xept today we drove to the Polo Field. Must be feeling better! How quickly he reverts to old ways!

On the way, he says, "The further out you go in the Park, the quirkier the people you come across."

"O-K..." I thought, "we're out here, what does that make us... I mean, you?"

Then he says, "But I never would have gone to all these places if it weren't for you, Nikki."

Well, what can I say... I love you too, man.

When we got to the Polo Field, he lets me off leash, and we play this game where he runs up and down the stairs between the bleachers and I, like, try to "follow the leader" on a different flight of stairs. I get so excited sometimes I just dash over to him and bark and paw him and he laughs and gives me a treat and... aw, I'm getting breathless just thinkin' about it.

Then we walked around some more and we saw these huge dogs with people sitting on top of them, and they were all kept inside these fenced fields and some of them make this weird, "wheh-heh-heh-hen" noise and I saw them eat all this dry grass. Yuck! Now green grass tastes good, I like green grass. Anyway, it's all very strange.

People's Park

Today is the second time in a row that we went to Golden Gate Park. Pops calls it "People's Park" 'cause everyone is out here - joggers, dog-walkers, dogs, cyclists, crazy people, old people, young people, homeless people, Chinese, Italians, Russians, Latinos, African Americans, rich folk, poor folk, commuters driving through - so into their own thoughts they don't even notice the birds and the trees. Coupla times they almost ran me and Pops over. Grrr-r-r...!

Today we went into the park through 6th Avenue, past the white guys practicing kung fu and the Chinese ladies dancercizing to Elvis' "Jail House Rock" on the boom box, and the poor homeless guy in between, trying to catch some zzz's next to his cart. Pops says, "You gotta have an open mind to like San Francisco... or... you gotta live in San Francisco to get an open mind." Yeah, he talks funny like that a lot.

Then we walked past the de Young, and the Music Concourse and as we went behind the band shell, we heard this funny "Brraap" sound coming from behind some trees. It was a group of elderly Chinese doing a Taichi Fan Dance! And the noise was from when they all opened their fans at once. They were all dressed so drab but the fans were a bright red. It was so cool! We watched them till they finished their set.

Yesterday we went to Stowe Lake and after we crossed the old stone bridge onto the inside island, Pops let me off leash. Then I got to go after what I really came for - squirrels! 'Course I never catch the little buggers, but it never stops me from tryin'. "Keep Hope Alive," Pops always says. Then he laughs at his own joke. I don't see what's so funny about it. I don't give him a hard time for lookin' at women. And he never catches any either! Ha ha ha ha - I just thought of that!

Writer's block

Writers' block - isn't that the street where all the writers live? Ha ha - as you can see I'm very blocked. Truth is, nothing much new has happened in the last week or so. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying things haven't been fun, but how much can you say about another day in the Headlands, at Land's End, the Presidio, Buena Vista Park, etc., etc.? It's all good, all the time! Pops' the one with all the drama. For me, it's a dog's life - eat, sleep, play, repeat. But even Pops' drama is not much to write about. He hates talking about his ailments. "That's a sure sign of old age," he says, "when all you do is talk about your aches and pains." Well, the poor guy has been in pain. Sciatica, or something like that. Good thing for him he has me to go walking with, 'cause walking really makes him feel good. He's been sleeping on the floor next to me at night. I like that!

Hey, did I tell you what a big hit I was at the Nihonmachi Street Fair? People stopped at our booth just to look at me. No one paid any attention to Pops and his friends and whatever it was they were selling... "art" or something... The little kids were a bit of a pain but I can tolerate. All the pretty women who came to fuss over me and pet me - now I can get used to that! Pops likes that too, but he kept saying, "What a waste of a chick-magnet." I think he was P.O.'ed 'cause he's married... and too old anyway... so I gotta enjoy it for him, see? After all, I'm his best friend!

Okay, well, I'm getting sleepy... sun's coming out... sorta. Maybe when I wake up, everything will be sunny.