Or like the time we went on vacation and he broke glass all over the porch hoping our dog would cut his feet. This is the same guy who raided my 13th birthday party (See here.) The same guy who rode his bike on our trampoline and totally ripped it.
Yes, he was not the ideal neighbor.
One of the other things he would do was train his dogs to go to the bathroom in our yard. This wasn't as big of a deal when it was his little poodle. Annoying, but not a big deal. She was female and our dog, Spike, hat the hots for her so he didn't mind.
Not until Beethoven.
Beethoven was a huge male Afghan dog that looked like this:
He was tall and he was scary. And Spike did mind when this huge camel looking animal came into his territory and began marking it. Needless to say there were many dog fights between Beethoven and Spike. And many times, this hating neighbor, would call his friends over to watch as he would release Beethoven into our yard. (No, his name was not Michael Vick.)
I guess in my mind Beethoven hated all things Lee. And I was a Lee.
Beethoven lived between me and my best friend. If I wanted to go to her house there were two options. I could just walk up the street, passing by Beethoven's house, or I could go through the alley which was longer. Most times, I would choose the longer route.
At night, however, the back alley was not an option. I had to pass by Beethoven. There was no choice.
I would call my parents and tell them I was coming home. Then I would make my friend walk me halfway. Then I would run, as fast and as quiet as I could, on the other side of the street. I would almost be home, mere steps away, when Beethoven would let out a loud bark. And no matter how many times I ran past, even knowing it was going to happen, that bark would scare the living daylights out of me. Every. Single. Time.
Yes. Beethoven was definitely something I was terrified of as a kid.
What about you? What scared you when you were little?
I'm a late linker to Jen Matlock's ABC Thursday.
12 comments:
Yikes, today a neighbour like that would have a restraining order. Kind of creepy. Our kids are let out of the vehicle for school right along a fence and they know there is a dog there that will bark, but he scares them every single time.
Dana
I cannot believe a neighbor left broken glass on a doorstep to cut a dog's feet.
What in the?
We've all had our Beethoven's, I think. Mine was a creepy orange grove where I was told murderers lived. I could never walk by it... always ran!
what a mean neighbor... my cousin lived a few houses down from a pediphile. He would wear a security guard uniform and patrol his back yard walking back and forth. If we were walking down the rail road tracks to get to my cousins house, he would try to grab you and if you were caught he would give you a kiss on the cheek. We were never caught though
Rats. We had a huge avocado tree in our back yard. Until they were all harvested they would draw in the rats. That and a mulberry tree. Rats love to eat avocados and mulberries. They would jump on you from the tree limbs. Creepy.
I think I would be slinging the afghan's poo right back in their yard or driveway or at their house or car. I know that sounds unkind but breaking glass to see if he could hurt your dog is more than mean it's the work or a psycho.~Ames
Whoa! What a mean neighbor! Like Dana said, now a days a restraining order should be in place. I don't remember what I was most scared of...I guess being alone at night. That has bothered me for a long time. I am better now.
~Linnea
This story of yours has managed to scare me right now!
I can't think of anything that scared me in my childhood, which seems odd. I remember feeling really safe in my neighborhood, and all of the neighbors were nice.
Guess I was lucky.
=)
The big high school kids that used to sit in the alley that my friends and I walked through to get to the local shops.
You sure have some great stories/experiences--missed you. It's been too long since I visited your blog.
oh so sad to be scared by an afghan. Sounds like his human wasn't the nicest guy, but Afghans are usually pretty gentle dogs. I'm glad that I was raised with dogs so I'm not afraid of them.
that dog's owner needs a spanking...whatever happened to him...
We lived next to an apartment complex and some of the kids used to say there were dolls hanging in the basement, like on a noose. I'm sure it wasn't true because every kid on the block was too scared to go and look in the basement windows!
Seriously, what's wrong with this guy? He's like the biggest creep ever! Kinda like those bully's you see on tv shows you secretly keep the dead bodies of their parents in the basement while having a party in their house. *shudder*
I love your stories. Even though it was all about a jerk! Still, you always take me right along with you! I love that about you!
I'm surprised you didn't do the burning sack of dog poo by the front door! ha!
Thanks for a great link for the letter A.
A+
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