The Terrible Incident With The Big Black Dog

This morning I had an appointment with my counsellor, who works from her home. As I parked my car I noticed a Big Black Dog and a smaller dog loping down the street behind a woman whom I immediately labelled as irresponsible for not having her dogs on a lead. She kept walking but the dogs didn't follow, making it clear they were not her dogs after all. Oh great. Free range dogs. I should note at this point that I'm not overly fond of dogs. More on that in a minute. I sat in my car for a bit watching the dogs - the small dog disappeared somewhere while the Big Black Dog ran up and down the street and in and out of yards.

Have I mentioned I'm not fond of dogs?

When the Big Black Dog disappeared up someone's driveway I took the opportunity to get out of my car and walk briskly (but not run because everyone knows that makes them chase you) to my counsellor's front door. I rang the bell and there was a short delay before she answered the door. During that short delay the Big Black Dog trotted into sight and then dashed up the driveway towards me. Crap... because as we know, I'm not fond of dogs. In fact, I'm very much afraid of dogs - particularly the Big and Black and Running Towards Me variety. Just at the point where I was debating the relative merits of completely flipping out or simply cowering in a corner, my counsellor opened the door and said, "Are you being terrorised by a black dog?" Yes indeed. Turns out it's HER Big Black Dog who, together with the Small and Mostly Unthreatening Dog, had escaped through the side gate.

The dogs were captured and contained and it was all fine. But you know what makes this comedy gold? It was only last week that I told my counsellor about my fear of dogs. Seriously - you can't script this stuff.

(And I really was fine and not completely freaked out.)