there comes a time in ones life when you find yourself walking down a crowded street, and out of nowhere comes a barrage of images from your childhood. a plethora of mental pictures that put a smile on your face… from getting an ‘A’ in art class, to remembering your first pet. fond memories indeed.

so there I was, walking to the office this morning (through what can only be described as a transport travesty - the city has blocked off 2 major thoroughfares on the east side around the UN (big conference or something… ooooohhhhh!) and I’m about to step onto the sidewalk at the corner of 53rd and 2nd when right in front of me is a woman and her dog. hang on, I know the picture you have in your heads… but alas, this was no run-of-the-mill “woman and dog” pic. the dog was evidently unable to use its back legs, and was fastened into a special harness to support its lower end (belly, hips and back legs), whilst allowing free movement for the front legs. two wheels are bolted on each side of the harness to afford smooth traveling for the hind quarters, and the front legs essentially “pull” it along. truly an ingenius creation. I stopped walking, suddenly hit with images of my own dearly departed dog - I must have been 13 when our family got our yorkshire terrier, give or take a year - and my heart sank into an abyss. to see this gorgeous little golden retriever having to struggle with this disability, is certainly something you don’t expect to see. dogs… they run in fields, chase balls, play fetch… I tell you, it stopped me in my tracks. but as I stood watching the owner and her bionic pooch slowly make their way to 54th street, i found myself smiling - realizing that this cute little canine is plodding along, half encased in steel and fabric strapping, completely oblivious to the fact that it can’t walk without its mechanical friend, and it looked as happy as ever… having fun walking alongside its owner.

moral? sure… here you go…

it amazes me how we bitch about everything… ouch, my arthritic knee… ow, I have a headache… mommy, my nose is all stuffy. you get the picture.

my advice to the whiners of the world… next time you feel like whinging about your sore ankle, think about this dog, and shut it.