My new running partner

I didn't get to start running tonight until after 9 PM - about an hour or so later than I would typically start. As I started my run I noticed in my shadow from a street lamp that there appeared to be 4 other legs behind me - I just attributed to the shadows to the way the car lights were being cast around me. Well, about 3 seconds after I told myself that I was not being followed, I about pissed myself. My peripheral vision allowed me just enough sight to see a head of some animal running beside me. It turns out that I had picked up a new running partner for the night.

I'm not real sure where the dog came from, but he/she followed right beside or behind me the entire 4 miles. It would stop at street corners and look up at me as to say "are you ever going to stop?" There have been a number of occasions that I get chased or harassed by neighborhood dogs, but I have never had a personal escort through the neighborhoods surrounding my house. At the end of my run, I stopped and gave my "guardian angel" some water and thanked it for keeping me company, but told her that she REALLY needed to go to her home. I told it that despite both Sercy (dog) and Morgan (daughter) would love a new playmate, the house was full (3 humans, 2 cats, and a dog was plenty).

Apparently the dog was still on protection detail, or it could smell how much of a push over I am for cute and extremely smart animals, because the dog followed me home. Last I checked, she was protecting my neighbors house from the scary "lit" yard ornaments - apparently the dog did not like the way the automated "lit" deer/antelope/reindeer looked at her because she was telling it who was boss.

I know this is a random story, but I wanted to take some time out to thank Dog for running with me tonight and God for supplying me with a great companion tonight.