You've all seen those exaggerated battles in movies where two adversaries tumble through cities, over cliffs, etc. all while engaged in an act of mortal combat. This weekend I got to experience my own version of cinema verite with a three-way to-the-death melee (for one of the participants) between Mystic, myself and a prairie dog. This was the first time Mystic was able to get a prairie dog out in the open and I knew it would be ugly. Thankfully, Mystic only tossed it around like a toy while the poor terrified prairie dog tried to fight back. P-dog made a great move to wiggle under the barbed wire fence, an evasive move that works well when avoiding big clumsy humans, not agile herding dogs. In order to keep up with the action, I had to slide myself under the wire as well as I tried to contain Mystic.

P-Dog's next move was to leap into a filthy stream of running ditch water, which of course Mystic followed--strategically, this was probably the worst move for the rodent, since Mystic could easily stand in the water and try to chomp him. The water was moving swiftly and I was able to jump in (fully clothed) and intercept Mystic before he could do anymore damage. P-dog floated to the side of the ditch, scrambled out and beat a hasty retreat. I assume he survived, since there was no blood (I think if Mystic had tasted it, it would have triggered his inner wolf and that would be the end of P-Dog).

So there we were, me bloody and wet and Mystic suddenly very unhappy for getting yelled at. Walking back up the trail I gave Mystic the silent treatment and he began to sulk. Dogs will be dogs, I understand, but he was a VERY bad AND could have given us both the plague.

So all this leads to right now-- where today I have a sore throat and actually feel kind of crummy (at least I only have to be on TV once and give two public presentations this week). My voice is kind of low and mysterious, like Count Chocula. Prairie dogs here have had a slight outbreak of the plague (yes, the bubonic variety) which is one of the main reasons you don't want your dogs attacking them. Mystic is the picture of health today, me not so much. I'm not really "sick" per se (went mtn. biking last night, rode to work today) but I didn't sleep well. My throat could also be ruptured from yelling so loud at Mystic. Or whatever made the ditch water run brown and green could be mutating me into a half-prairie dog half human superhero.

At least if it IS the plague, I won't have to worry about my presentations later in the week.

Posted by James Dziezynski @ 9:02 AM