A New Game

So here we are in a whole new location, with a wide open world to explore. At first Grace just led me around Solano Grove, our condo community, but I knew it wouldn't contain her for long. We just couldn't squeeze a two-hour walk out of this little place. First we tried going north on San Jose Boulevard, across Goodby's Creek, past the Hooters with its eight - count 'em - eight boat docking slips. We wandered into a couple of neighborhoods along San Jose, but nothing really clicked. We tried going south on San Jose, and that was much better. There were ponds and ditches and paths through wooded areas, as well as populated businesses where people could fawn over her.

A couple of days ago, we tried going north again, but very soon we turned left onto Beauclerc Road. This she liked because there were bushes and ditches and neighborhoods to explore on a long not-very-busy road that stretches for miles. I like it  because it has a sidewalk all the way along one side. Of course, she tries to drag me over to the sidewalk-free side, but I prevail (mostly.)

This morning we did the Beauclerc Road thing. She pooped in somebody's yard and I picked it up as usual. There were trash cans out in front of the houses all along the road, but they were empty so I didn't put my bag in them. I carried that bag for a long while, waiting for that golden opportunity to get rid of it. Then, up ahead I heard and then saw a garbage truck working its way along a side street, headed for Beauclerc Road. I quickened our pace, hoping to make it to the last undumped can  in time. I didn't. But I saw that the truck was mechanically picking up the cans and dumping them into a large opening just a few feet higher than my head. As the truck went by, I flung my bag into the opening. "Two points!" the driver called out, and gave me a thumbs up.

On we went down the road. Just a few minutes later, Grace pooped again. Wouldn't you know it, the same truck was coming out of the next neighborhood as we got there. I shot, I scored. "You should be playing basketball," said the driver. Yeah, right.