Every man and his dog ...

Yes, this also relates to every woman and her dog, but I'm making a point here.

Last Saturday morning I was up early for a meeting. Not as early as during the week, but early for a weekend. Anyway, got dressed, got all my stuff ready, had breakfast, and headed out to the car.

It wasn't snowing or windy or particularly cold, so I wasn't rushing. I looked around, at least I thought I looked around, and then piled me and my stuff into the car. It's possible that I wasn't all bright eyed and bushy tailed, but I did think I had my wits about me.

So, it was quite the surprise, after reversing into the back lane, that I spied a man and his dog walking in the opposite direction to which I was now headed. I hadn't seen them before I got in the car and they weren't that far away from me - nor were they wildly gesticulating. I looked up to see my guy calmly waving goodbye from the window - no panic there, and the man and his dog seemed fine. I assumed all was well and drove away.

When I got home, I asked about the man and his dog. Apparently, unbeknown to me, I had almost squished them into the neighbour's back fence. "What?" I responded incredulously. Yep, they had seemingly come out of nowhere and, as was their right (although quite possibly not the best decision they could have made), continued to walk behind my car as I was reversing, hence their almost squishedness. "But I never saw them, not before I got in the car, and not while I was reversing. Only when I was in the back lane." My declaration drew a gently smiled, "Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!"

And well deserved. I felt bad that I had been blind to the goings on in my own back lane. I like dogs, people, too, and I was particularly concerned that I might have traumatised the beautiful black lab, which, by the way, I had never seen before in our neighbourhood, or perhaps a different neighbourhood altogether.

Hopefully, the man understood my sleepy state and didn't simply label me a thoughtless or careless driver. And if I see him again walking his dog at 8:10 am, I will be sure to apologise, although I suspect they've seen the error of my ways and are now traversing some other part of our neighbourhood.

My point is that at the end, and the start, of the day, every man and woman and his or her dog should be free to walk safely down our back lane. I, for one, will be sure to double and triple check so I don't ever again squish any unsuspecting traveller into our neighbour's fence.

My other point is that it’s tempting to judge others too quickly without knowing their intent or their mindset. Sometimes it’s all a simple mistake or a misunderstanding. I hope that the man and his dog presumed exactly that, and there’s no need for me to apologise for anything.