Good Dog, Bad Man

I did a bad thing this morning. Something I feel absolutely terrible about. I have a nasty feeling at the back of my mind that my inaction may have resulted in a fatality, and assoicated heartache, for a family.

On my way to work through the village of Postcombe, the traffic came to a sudden halt in the rain. A little doggy was scampering in the middle of the road. It was clearly young, excited and confused - it looked as if it had just escaped from its owners house or car and didn't know what it was going to do next.

I should have stopped, gathered the little pup up in my arms and delivered it to the local village shop / garage, where it would have been safe. The shop owner might well have known who the doggy belong to. This is what the dog's owner would have wanted me to do. It would have been the right thing to do.

Instead I did the wrong thing. Someone behind me in the queue of traffic pipped their horn - either to get the dog out of the road or to hurry us drivers up. Whatever the reason, it jolted me along, and I followed the car in front like a sheep.

For the next ten minutes, every turning I passed, I felt I should be swinging the car around to go back and find the dog. But I didn't. I just kept on driving.

I feel disappointed in myself. I've let the dog and its owner down. I've let myself down. I just hope the dog's ok and reunited with its family. I feel guilty enough already, but if I see a dead dog on the road going home this afternoon, I don't know want I'm going to...

I'm literally praying for that doggy and I'm vowing never to drive on past ever again.