[Got an anonymous confession or rant you just have to share with the world? Submit it to I, Anonymous HERE!—eds]
Long ago, I began birdwatching as a hobby. I became obsessed, travelled all over the West, working to get good pictures of birds. One of my favorite spots was the Sandy River Delta and the west side’s, Sun Dial road. On boths sides of the Sandy’s mouth I had to deal with dogs barking and growling at me (not often, but it happened). Sometimes the dog owners weren’t even present. Their dogs were off leash and way ahead. For the first couple of years I had a stick up my ass. My feathers were in a bunch. “How dare dog owners not have their dogs on a leash.” I probably gave lots of dirty looks and for that I apologize, but I stopped caring because 99.9 percent of dogs are great, very nice and best news: I’m a dog owner myself now and my dog loves nothing more than sprinting off leash, but some people get pissed when my dog nears them. My dog is sweet and wants to love all and yet there are some mean haters. Today it was a bicyclist on the new bike section that connects Sun Dial to Troutdale. To the lady that yelled “LEASH YOUR FUCKING DOG!!!” at me in front of my daughter and the other kids, fuck you and guess what? People and their dogs aren’t going anywhere. They were there long before the bike route and they are not going to disappear. Thus, you can fuck off and keep that prickly stick up your ass or get used to it and enjoy the company. I recommend the latter.—Anonymous