everyday evil.

i've just come from an encounter with a woman paralyzed in grief and radioactive evil. we had a fantastic walk through the lush green island paths and swam in the cleansed, rain fresh lagoon. our steps were quietened by moist. copper found a liter bottle of squirt and was proudly prancing toward home to show his treasure. but we were stopped by a wizened visage who has taken up the idea that freedom is untenable and dangerous, even the simple freedom of a dog off leash. she threatened to report me. copper has never once while with me ever been aggressive toward her dog. the dogs barely notice each other. but it is always peaceable. except for the wizened one behind the screen of makeup and a rictus of pain and hate.
i know there are some people who will never get it. what a dog is, what a dog means, and she will eat herself alive with her own pain. and i will avoid her and pray for her and for peace, and do everything possible to avoid her. knowing that we will always be vulnerable to evil.
now i go back to our encounter on the stone bridge. a man came with three dogs, the lead a big shepherd. he stopped Lightning and asked if we were ok, i said yes, please, and the dogs all shared a moment with two grateful beamingly happy men. i said he's not my dog, but he has changed my life. he echoed that and said people don't know. i hope they will. in such a tortuous human condition, where in in social life we are constrained and often false, dogs are a salient and golden opportunity for freedom and love.