No, my dog is NOT trying to eat your daughter!

Just another lovely afternoon in Washington Square Park. I am walking my buddy Finn (pictured here)

And we are trying to do our "frolic through the park while doing our bathroom business" ritual.  We got halfway around the park and he decided that he wanted to switch directions. We turn around and I see a young father jogging the path of the park with his 3 daughters (I am assuming) . Their ages I guess ranged from 6-10 yrs old (again, I am assuming)  The first 2 youngest were right by his side but the last girl was lagging behind a bit.  Just as she decided to pick up the pace was right when she was passing me and Finn. He got SO excited when she ran by that he put on a huge smile and started jumping, trying to join her!  (He LOVES to run)  She looks to her left and immediately starts screaming bloody murder for literally about 20 seconds. Screaming at the top of her lungs repeatedly for 20 seconds! (really count to 20 to see how long that is) Meanwhile the whole park turns around to look at us!  It appeared as though the dog attacked her or I tried to kidnap her.  It was a "stranger danger" type of scream. Her dad was a good 200 feet away and I'm just standing here yelling, "He just got excited and wanted to run with you! He wasn't doing anything!!"  Far be it from the dad to run back over and see why the girl was screaming incessantly or talk to me. This dog wouldn't hurt a fly, he loves love and people. At that point Finn was so confused at what just happened that I decided to walk the opposite direction from the runners.  

We took the grass past a few benches and passed a group of about 8 Middle Eastern women and a baby that seemed to be feeding the squirrels and birds while they chatted.  We walked behind them just trying to get through the park when I felt something peg me in the head. I was hit in the back of the head with a cracker!  I rubbed my head and turned around and one horrified woman was looking at me and in a thick accent says, "Ooh, sorry!"  I asked, "Did you just throw a cracker at my head?" She looked uncomfortable and didn't answer, I doubt she understood a word I said. At that point, it was just safer for us to go back inside. Sometimes the park is just too much to deal with. It is a sad statement to make, but it is so very true.