The good, the bad and the ugly

What an intense week. The April Fool's edition of our school paper came out, complete with a photo of the principal on the cover, washing dishes in the cafeteria, a photo I have saved for over six months for just this purpose. We wrote an article saying the school board had decided to shuffle staff assignments randomly to be more equitable, and went on to pick the most unlikely staffers for several positions, including a photo of a rather stout male teacher doing a pirouette, wearing a tutu, courtesy of photoshop, whom we pegged as the new dance teacher.

It was great fun, and the principal got his revenge in kind, announcing during his morning broadcast that we had outdone ourselves, and that they would miss me, since it was my last day. One student from Costa Rica came in almost in tears, because she didn't understand about April Fool's day and thought I was really leaving.

Friday was Bosco-the-puppy's first birthday, and I decided to have a little celebration at the dog park where we go several times a week. I wanted to thank all her doggie friends and their owners for their part in getting her really well socialized these last several months. She plays well with others, which is such a big deal.

I filled bags with dog treats for people to take home and Boyfriend baked cupcakes for the humans.

The atmosphere was festive until suddenly a very large dog, part mastiff, part bloodhound, named Duke, who has come there several times, grabbed a Chihuahua puppy in his maw and wouldn't let go. Duke is usually really placid and slow, but prey drive must have kicked in. It wasn't a fight between two dogs. It was hunting.

People began screaming, several men tried to pry his jaws apart, another hit Duke on the head, but he just sat there. Finally someone stepped on his tail, and they were able to get the small dog out. No puncture wounds, but he was crushed, and died on the way to the vet's.

People reacted in different ways. Some were maudlin, some angry, some dramatic and others, like me, just sad. I get a bit detached, knowing my reactions won't help or change anything. It's my way of coping. Others needed to talk of vengeance, baseball bats, police, law suits, never coming to dog park again. Realistically, we can't protect ourselves or our loved ones or pets from things like this. Duke had never seemed particularly threatening or aggressive. In fact, he seemed like a sleepy giant. No one saw it coming, except in hindsight.

The little dog had been obnoxious, bothering other dogs, trying to hump them, and not taking no for an answer even after they snarled at him. Just last week a Daschund had attacked him after he repeatedly bothered him and got in his face. There was something about him that didn't get the social rules. Still, it was very sad.

I went back yesterday and talked with some of the others about making something positive out of the tragedy, creating a separate area for the small dogs, laminating some emergency info and park guidelines to put by the entrance. That's my impulse, to go on, to make things better, but then again, my puppy is still here.