I was out having an early breakfast. I heard the sound of a retractable dog leash hitting the ground and being dragged on pavement. I looked up to see a dog lunging across the street followed by a couple on the opposite sidewalk.

I had my dog with me. The other dog was beelining towards us.

I stood up and moved to the sidewalk. My dog stayed. The other dog rushed to a patch of grass near us. Her back curled into the pose. The leash handle was on the ground behind her. The weight of it held the line tight directly between the dog’s back legs.

A handful of light brown fell directly on the leash. The third and final segment to emit from the dog stuck an upright landing. It looked like a monolith balancing on a tight rope. It held until the dog moved.