The Zen of Dude!

One of my sidelines is walking dogs. It's actually a pretty well-paid (relatively), part-time gig. One of the dogs I walk is Dude. It seems Dude used to be Jude. And the legend goes that Jude was a "porno dog." I was told that he did work in "blue movies."

Now I'm not one to challenge the legend. No, as John Ford once said, "when the legend becomes truth, print the legend." So I believe that Dude, before he was fixed (ouch!) used to be Jude, and Jude was a canine Dirk Diggler.

This may explain Dude's air of profound power and existential sadness. There is the air of "lost paradise" about Dude. There is also a Zen-ness about Dude. He is always totally in the moment. Aware of the slightest movement or sound.

He's a big, sleek, very intimidating Doberman Pincher. He's sweet, gentle, playful and incredibly smart. His owner, who loves him dearly, calls him a "weapon of mass destruction." I do believe it's true. Did you ever see that movie "Predator?" Sort of gives you the flavor of Dude as he makes his way in the world.

My job, when I walk him, is to keep Dude away from everything and anything. He and I walk down the boulevard like the biggest, baddest Dudes in the neighborhood. I find myself totally matching my energy with Dude. I become "one with the Dude."

All of my senses go on "red alert." Anything moving is a target. Death or physical violence is implicit in every step we take. It's sort of exhilarating and kind of exhausting walking THE DUDE!

Every day, every moment is a little lesson in power and love and loss. Every moment is alive with the possibility of life and death.