Lost dog?

I was 1/2 way down the alley when I remembered I forgot to put sneakers on. I recently bought a new pair of flip flops. Could barely walk first time I wore them. What was I thinking? Um, cheap, what a bargain!

My old pair has cloth, what do you call them, toe divider and attachments to keep them on feet. The new pair, plastic. I was not far from apartment that day when the between toes pain was so great, I started walking barefoot on sidewalk, putting them back on to cross streets. Then I tried sliding my foot backwards as I stepped forwards which sort of pulled the foot back away from the toe dividers but not falling off my feet.

Have been wearing them around the apartment, and they seem to be, what, stretching, so not so painful. If I went home to change into sneakers, would miss the bus and have to wait almost an hour for the next one ~ unless I walked to 7th Street which I did not want to do. Since the toes have not been painful, figured it would be okay. And it was for a while; to library, to Albertsons, to 7/11, towards Shoreline park, that is when they started causing pain.

So I decide to sit at picnic bench for a moment, eat a few spoons of potato salad, continue on my way to lighthouse area. No sooner had I sat in the shade then I see a dog approaching on other side of table. No leash. Um, looks like no owner either. Dog walks around table, looks up at me, I think he is continuing to walk around the table and perhaps leave, but no, he just circled around then plopped heavily at my feet. WTH!

Dog must be friendly, I think, not a bite the lady type of dog. Yet I am always more nervous with dogs when my legs are bare. That is my knee in photo. After a while, I got out cell phone to take a picture, leaning back trying to get the entire dog. Dog kept turning head at the sound of people across the street. I waited until Dog turned head eastward, then snapped.

I felt really bad, Dog tongue hanging out, panting. Dog could have chosen to continue walking to sit by two men ~ two homeless men, methinks sitting at another nearby picnic table. No, Dog choose me. I could have pet Dog, so as not to startle him, then check out his tag.

My instinct was to go to restroom to get Dog some water to drink, yet no idea how to do that. If I had seen a fast food Styrofoam package laying on ground, I could have used it for water bowl. Did not enter my mind to check out trash can for a bowl substitute. Poor Dog. Hope he found his owners or someone better than me helped him (or her) out.

After spending several hours reading, watching bridal party photo shoot, I walked back to catch free bus back to town. Dog was gone. Two probably homeless men still sitting at same table.