We were in PetSmart today and had a golden retriever run into us and then proceed to freak out on Scherzo. It’s owner was twenty feet away at the other end of the dog’s flexi leash, happily squeeking toys at the indifferent baby in her stroller. We asked her to reel in her dog and she politely obliged: Yank, Zip, Clunk, Yank, Sip, Clunk.

Ten minutes later I had Scherzo in a down stay working on eyes when the woman walked past us up the center of the store. A few seconds later her dog came running after her, but the flexy was still stretching back, looped around something out of sight. I turned just in time to her stroller rocketing up the aisle backwards. It smashed into a giant bird cage. It was looped around the baby’s head.

The owner came running back, unlooped her child and left, taking with her a bag of kibble that in her embarrassment she neglected to pay for.