Is that your dog?

Sunday afternoon I had about 45 minutes to kill between commitments.  I also had a book that I wanted to read and it was a beautiful sunny day, so I headed up to a scenic park at the to of Potrero Hill.  I rolled up my sleeves and availed myself of one of the picnic tables.

This park has lots of kids and lots of dogs running about, and many charming canines came over to say hello and get skritched while I read.  I was quite happy to oblige them-- a border collie, a lab, several mutts, and even a couple of yapdogs visited my bench.

As I was leaving, there was a tiny little dog wandering around the parking lot looking lost.  A father and his two young children looked up as I came by.  "Is that your dog?"

"No, why?"

"He seems lost, and he's wearing the same shirt that you are, so we figured he was yours."  I looked, and indeed we were both wearing pink and white striped shirts.

Oooohhhkay.  Right.  I'm exactly the sort of cutesy person who would dress my dog in a matching outfit.  Mmm hmmm.  I attempted not to be offended.  The dog seemed very sweet and trusting, so I set to work trying to find his owner while the little girl asked, "Where is that dog's person?  Why isn't his person here?"

One of the dog owners in the main part of the park recognized the dog, looked around, and said that his owner was gone.  Lovely.  Did someone abandon their dog?  The other dog owner offered to keep an eye on the pink-striped doglet, since I had a photo shoot to go to.

As I was heading for my car, a white station wagon pulled into a parking lot and the inhabitants started calling out a name.  Yay!  The dog's people had arrived.  They were quickly reunited, and I must say that I felt much better leaving with the knowledge that the critter was back where he belonged.

I will, however, make this promise to you.  No matter what animals I may have in the future, I will never ever ever dress myself and my pet in matching outfits.  If I do, you all have my permission to kill me by any means necessary, so long as you take care of the animal.  He'll be so happy to be saved from the embarrassment that he will be loyal to you forever.