Flying Chihuahuas

An owl tried to steal Manny’s dog last night. Wicket. The dog’s name is Wicket and he’s had an eventful week, including having his head pried from the jaws of a much larger dog while camping this weekend. And last night right after little Wicket, a cockapoo, had finished his business, he started to wander toward the back of the yard into the shadows when Manny and I both caught sight of something that seemed much too large to be swooping in out of the sky, but did indeed swoop in out of the sky toward the tiny white cockapoo in the shadows, then upon seeing us, swoop back toward the sky and take perch in the neighbor’s tree.

Manny immediately put his dog back in the house and we finished our cigarettes and watched the owl watching us. I’m pretty sure it’s the same owl from our campsite this weekend that stayed in the tree over my tent and called out all night, as if to tell Wicket he was coming for him.

I told Manny this would be a perfect time for the neighbors to let out their dogs, three yipping Chihuahuas. We’d know the owl got one when we started to hear the barking get further away.

“Why does it sound like that dog is in the tree?” he mocked and we laughed at the thought, but our consciences got the better of us and Manny went to inform the neighbors of our new predatory tenant. We’re not always assholes.