Dogs in the AM and a Swift Kick

Forgot to write about the dogs on my last post. So with this new early morning workout routine... While we are still in Pava'ia'i I don't want to wake my roommates up, so I've been using a friend's garage as my exercise space in the morning.

Wednesday morning, just a little barking from some dogs. I had a feeling that they might be a little jumpier early in the morning, especially while it was still dark and they couldn't really see me. Thursday morning, a few were laying in the middle of the road I was walking on, sort of sat up, looked, barked a little, and then they let me walk by.

Friday morning, two dogs laying there again, and this time one of them decided he really didn't like me walking by. Started barking up a storm. "Here we go...", I thought. The barking alerted his friends at the house, "Ah crap, here they all come." I started yelling "Halu," which means stop in Samoan. One got aggressively close to me, and they couldn't see me pretending to pick up a rock. (Usually they turn around and run when you just act like you are grabbing a rock.) I started kicking my foot, he backed a little, but kept coming in. I kicked him good in the face, and that made them all turn around and squeal. Situation handled. Nothing like kicking a vicious dog at 4:45am to get your adrenaline running before a workout. I would never even think about kicking a dog back home, but I had nothing else left to do. It was that or maybe get bitten.

Now, Monday morning four of them were laying in the middle of the road. "Seriously, guys." I had a rock in my hand ready to go this time. Pretty sure I could tell which one it was I had to kick, as he jumped back right away. The others started barking. I think they may have remembered me. I threw the rock, and all but one scattered. One thought he was going to be a jerk, so I yelled and lunged forward. He ran off after that. Crisis averted this morning. Darn dogs aren't going to stop me from getting my exercise complete. Last week I should have to deal with them, as we should be moving later this week.

By the way, at first I couldn't remember which foot I used. Think I've decided it was my left foot, as the top of it is sore, and I don't remember dropping anything on it. Must have been that swift kick. Oye. Sore foot is better than a bite for sure :-)

Well, that was a little different from most stories I have told so far. The sad dog situation of Samoa. One of those realities I have seen and it is hitting me more and more as I am here. Nothing I can't handle, but it's one problem I don't really foresee ever been fixed. I'm usually pretty optimistic, but I feel sorry for some of these dogs. One of these days I may take some photos so you can see how gross and unkept some of them are. Others are still just obnoxious, like the one who decided he needed a kick in the face to know he shouldn't mess with this girl.