Pugs, Bucks & Bears--Oh My!

Lately, there have been a few animalistic occurrences that have been popping up on me and I don’t know why. Although if you follow me on Twitter and Facebook, you already know all the details. Someone even challenged me if this was really true. I was surprised myself to say: “Yes, cross my heart - this is truth!”

I’ll begin with the first funny incident.

Picture it, New York - 2009 (ah the great Sophia Petrillo)... It was last Thursday morning and I had gotten ready to head out for one of my power walks around the neighborhood. This community is pretty tight with rules and regulations: dogs, cats, mice and guinea pigs all need to be on a leash. You get my drift. I’m usually never afraid to come across an angry dog around here. If I do, it’s usually attached to its owner. No biggie. Let em’ snarl and growl at me, the owner will keep it from attacking me (I hope). My walk was intense and powerful - I had a little momentum going. The air felt refreshing and I passed by my elderly neighbors who were also taking a little stroll too. As I’m walking uphill, back towards my building, which is approximately three buildings away, I came across the cutest and smallest Pug you ever want to see. Mind you - he wasn’t on a leash nor chained up - but come on, how much damage can this dog cause? He looked so sweet, sitting calmly at the edge of the building where he lived. I decided to take a little breather and say, “Heya little cutie”, and began to rub his cute puffy cheeks. I wasn’t sure if I had seen his eyes dilate or if it was just the morning lighting, but then I saw teeth. I backed up and proceeded to walk uphill again, when I heard the most evilest growl. I looked back, and lo and behold, he was snarling, foaming at the mouth running after me. I booked it so fast up that hill. All you saw was this woman running for her life...from a TINY PUG! As soon as I had entered my driveway, it was like a wall to him - he stopped automatically, just barking from this invisible wall that he couldn’t get past, as if there was an unmarked territory that I couldn't see with my own eyes. He wouldn’t enter. I was safe.

Story two is a bit more disturbing for you 'woodsy' type of folks. I had went to my parents house yesterday to spend some time with them. I decided to rest on the hammock and enjoy the views, which are beautiful where they live. They live one mile up a huge mountain that overlooks a few nearby towns. Of course, they’re up in the woods. The quietness of their neighborhood is such a relief from the noisy neighborhood I live in. Sirens are blaring, kids are screaming, taxis are honking to high heaven and dogs are chasing me around. I got comfortable on the hammock, until I heard a “sneezing” type of sound coming out from the woodsy area. My father, who was sitting at the patio table smoking his cigarette started making the same noise back. “Ya here dat’? Das’ a buck! Lookid! It’s a huge buck right behindja’ ova’ by da’ tree!” He says, with great enthusiasm in his Brooklyn accent. I turned around and got up from the hammock. Then he started making the strangest noises, kicking the dirt on the ground like a bull would and started to pounce at me - teasing me - almost to say, “AH, I can kick your ass woman!” He starts getting on his hind legs and then pouncing back on the ground, this time pointing his newly developed rack at me. You gotta be kidding me. I backed up and went inside the house. This buck meant business.

Story three is a bit more disturbing, since I have never come face-to-face with a bear before. Umm, please keep in mind that this is approximately 30 minutes after my buck encounter. Unreal. Anyway, I came back outside to rest on the hammock again since the coast was clear and I wasn’t going to get a new bum ripped by a buck. I laid back on the hammock and started to drift off...until I glanced over to the side and saw a huge black bear walking on the lawn. My father didn’t see it this time, so I went to grab my phone and started taking photos of him. “Whassamada’ whichoo’? Didja’ see a bee?” My father asked, since the bear was out of his view. “Uhhh, uhhh, uhhh, ummm, DAD???” He looked at me with wide eyes and then knew right away what it was since he’s been battling with the same bear for a month now over his garbage bins. As my dad gets up, I ran behind him. My dad yells out, “Get atta’ here ya’ bastid’!!!” The bear didn’t budge. It just stared at us. He looked calm, so I went up closer and took these shots. As I was snapping pictures, he got up on his hind legs and started to show his teeth.

“GET INSIDE DAD! GET INSIDE!” I was now protecting my father. My mom wanted to come out and see what the ruckus was, until I nearly picked her up and carried her back in.

I can’t begin to tell you how good it is to be home right now. The thing is, later on today I have to go to my parents again. I was supposed to put up a badminton set up, but I doubt I’ll have the courage to play anytime soon over there.