Clickety Click
My rural route mailbox is located on the opposite side of the road from my house. One bright and sunny day while strolling back from the mailbox after retrieving the mail, I found myself confronted by my neighbor’s 85 -pound Black Labrador Retriever.
I was turning to walk back across the road toward my house with mail in hand, when the giant of a dog came barrelling out of my neighbor’s house, escaping through a door opened by a child. I heard the clickety click, clickety click of claws on the concrete of my neighbor’s driveway, as the agitated dog charged towards me. Clickety click was soon followed by ferocious growling and snarling as she gained ground getting closer to her target.
The event unfolding before me became surreal as everything began to move in slow motion. I turned completely around to face the Lab and standing stock still bracing for a fight if necessary, I heard myself yelling at the top of my lungs a commanding, “NO”!
The dog stopped so suddenly that her hind legs slid on the pea gravel underneath her feet and she landed hard on her tail before bouncing back up immediately onto all fours. We stood there in the middle of the road in a stand off. I was scowling and staring at the dog and the dog, with her head cocked to one side and her ears hiked up with a startled look of confusion, was staring back at me. Neither of us moved or made a sound for several moments. Then, upon yelling another commanding, “NO” at her, I watched as she turned with her tail tucked between her legs to go back into my neighbor's yard.
Not daring to turn my back on the Lab, I began to take tentative steps backwards slowly across the road into my yard before my neighbor came running out asking, “Did she growl at you?”
Not wanting the sound of my voice to rile the dog any farther, I simply nodded my head yes, while keeping my eyes on the Lab and continuing to take slow steady steps backwards farther into my yard.
I made it across my yard and was backing up onto my driveway before I noticed that my heart was pounding fiercely in my chest and the mail was crumpled in my fists that were still clenched with tension.
So, I went inside the house and sat down to calm my nerves. A few minutes later my doorbell rang and my neighbor’s daughter was standing there and said, “I’m sorry I let our dog out, but I’m so glad that your friend was with you.”
Confused, I asked, “What friend Sweetie?”
Explaining she said, “Your friend that was dressed in the white shiny clothes, who told our dog not to bite you. I’m really glad you didn’t get hurt.” Smiling softly, she waved good bye and turned to leave.
When I closed the door after she left, I was trembling uncontrollably. My knees became weak and I slid to the floor with my mouth gaped open in amazement. I began to weep in gratitude and immediately began to praise and thank God for His angel of protection, “I thank You Lord, that the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them. I thank you God, for giving Your angels especial charge over me to accompany and defend and preserve me. Bless Your name, God! For You kept me from evil, and preserved my life. Lord, You are my refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.”
“Lord, just like You sent an angel to close the jaws of the lions to protect Daniel through the watches of the night in the lions den, You sent Your angel to close the jaw of the Labrador Retriever to protect me, one bright and sunny day on my way home from the mailbox. HALLELUJAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!”
