I always thought it was just my dad, Herb, who sauntered. Much to my mother’s dismay, no matter how urgent her cry was, he sauntered. I thought it was kind of cool that he rarely was rattled. Certainly, not rattled enough to run. I never saw my dad run, except when he had to hold the bike for me while I was learning to ride without those training wheels. Webster’s defines saunter as a walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort.
Little did I know growing up that apparently all men saunter. I didn’t have brothers or male cousins that lived in the same town. I had no male with whom to compare my dad. I thought only he sauntered.
The older I got the more I grew to dislike the saunter. Isn’t anything important enough to run?
The other day I was at the park with two dogs. Neither one especially great with other dogs they meet on our walks. The park signage clearly states that dogs are to be on leash at all times. I get the attraction to letting your dog run free. Even those who want to defy the rules and let their dog off leash, usually HAVE A LEASH.
I am always on the lookout for dogs while we walk so I have time to change course or pull my dogs off to the side. In the distance I see a man, 30-something in apparently good health, get out of his truck and let out two dogs. They are not on a leash nor do I see a leash in hand.
The dogs and the owner are 40-50 yards from me. I just know what is going to happen. One of his dogs makes a beeline for me and my two dogs. The owner yells for his dog. Dog ignores owner. Dog keeps coming. I stand my ground knowing I have no way to out run this dog.
The dog gets to 4 feet from me and stops and barks. My dogs are crazy barking. THE OWNER SAUNTERS a couple hundred feet to my “urgent” situation. SAUNTERS. Could he not run? No apology, no nothing, and he saunters away.
Why do men saunter? #men #menarefrommars
