Hey Babe.

The other morning I was taking Lucca on his morning run. I have a route around my apartment complex that works really well. One route is .9 miles, another is .6. I usually do some sort of combination so we go at LEAST 3 miles.

I am a responsible dog walker, so I do bring plastic baggies to pick up dogie droppings. I usually bring along 2 bags, just in case.

The other morning, we were on our last lap, when Lucca decided he wasn't done yet. The location where he chose to squat just happened to be at the front of the complex, on the sidewalk next to the main road. Here was the problem. This was the 3rd such stop, and I had only brought 2 bags. I looked around to see if there was anyone coming that I could get a bag from. There wasn't. We were at the EXACT OPPOSITE end of the complex from my apartment. I had no choice but to go home to get a bag then return.

I was almost at the driveway to turn back into the complex when a car pulled up slowly from behind me (he was driving on the wrong side of the road to do this). All of my defenses when up when the car slowed almost to a stop and I heard the male drive say "Hey babe." GREAT! It wasn't even 7:30am yet, and I already get to fend off some jackass who wants to harass a girl on a bike, with a dog.

I stopped the bike and turned toward him. He was old enough to be my grandpa. Really? He then said "Do you think you could go back and clean up the mess your dog made on the sidewalk back there?" This COMPLETELY threw me off. I stammered back my response about being out of bags and going to get one. He then said something as though he didn't believe me but that is what I had better do and drove off.

I got back on the bike and continued home, COMPLETELY frazzled. I spent a few minutes trying to figure out why I was so thrown off. It wasn't about being confronted about leaving the poop. I knew I was going back for it, I don't care what anyone else thinks. I finally decided that it was the "Hey babe." How unnecessary was that? What was wrong with "Excuse me" or "miss" or even "Excuse me, miss"? Why did he have to get my attention with "Hey babe"? There was SOMETHING in his tone as well. I don't know if it was condescension or annoyance or what, but there had to be something. I don't walk around thinking everyone who is talking to me is hitting on me, so it isn't something I would assume by the words. There was something almost predatory in his tone.

I did make a mental note of his license plate. JAGOBOB. I'm pretty sure it says something about just what kind of jackass he is.