Saturday morning in Spokane

So I was talking to this little dog as I chained up my bike outside Huckleberry’s.

The brownish pooch was tethered to the bike rack by his leash.

I leaned over and gave him clear, easily understood instructions: “Guard this bicycle with your life.”

He offered no protest, so I assumed he accepted the assignment.

As I was walking toward the entrance to the store, a twentysomething woman with a guy asked me if they could pet my dog.

I started to explain that the canine in question was not mine. But then, without weighing my liability exposure in case of a biting incident, I urged them to go ahead.

A little while later, on my way out of the store, I thought about taking the dog’s picture. But when I neared the bike rack, I saw that the dog was gone.

But my bike was still there, so I guess he did his job.