Please don’t think this is a major reveal of some sort! This is just a little story I wanted to share about calling out bad behavior and holding that person to it.
A few months ago I was running in my neighborhood and I came up on a woman and her dog. I let her know that I was behind her, and her dog then lunged at me aggressively and she shouted at me to move. This was wrong on her part in every bit of the interaction with me, and I let her know that along with a full barrage of curse words as I ran to other side of the street. It is not a stranger’s duty to know the demeanor of your dog, no one can know simply coming up to a dog if they are docile or not. It is the owner’s responsibility to know the demeanor of their dog and to be able to control their dog. If you can’t control your dog, then you should not have the dog out in public where you cannot control it and an infant, child, adult, or other animal could be attacked. I carry pepper spray with me and I recommend anyone that exercises regularly to carry pepper spray with them. This instance did not warrant the use of pepper spray because I was able to get away, but if I had stayed on the same side of the street I would have had to use it. Her forcing me to cross a major road that was busy at that moment to get away from her and her dog was messed up especially because I warned her well before so she could have crossed the street knowing her dog is not okay with runners or people passing it.
Weeks go by and I have not seen this woman and her dog. Then, one day, I did, and I just looked at her as I ran past. She started acting aggressively toward me with throwing offensive hand gestures at me from the opposite side of the street. I just laughed at her, flipped her off, and lobbed off a few choice words right back. It was immature of her, and she was only acting this way because she was triggered from her actions before. Moments prior to me running into this woman, I had just been chased by a huge mastiff that was off leash and cursed at those dog owners.
I’ve informed the families that I am friends with, and families that I interact with, about the aggressive dogs in the neighborhood because these dogs would go after children if they’re coming after me.
Then, lo and behold, I run into her today. She looked at me multiple times, said nothing, but directly crossed the street with her dog since we were on the same side.
THIS is what I wanted her to do in the first place months ago instead of yelling at me. Today she acted respectfully and honored my boundaries, and it was a welcome transformation. I hope she respects everyone’s boundaries.
I was overjoyed at her change. I smiled the rest of my run.
If someone is a deplorable human being, raise your voice and hold them accountable. You might get to see a change in someone if you hold your boundaries firm and don’t give an inch.
This gives me hope. I hope this story is encouraging and empowering. It is good to call the bad shit out. It might take a couple times for it to sink in, but maintain your boundaries. It is worth it. You help other people out when you call bad actions out and hold a person accountable. It isn’t just you that benefits from being safer, everyone does.
From the river to the sea, may the whole world be free.