The dim stickiness of the bar threatens to take away our sunlight. We’re safer and sunnier on the patio. She and I exchange quick greetings with smiles as I search for a stool with a view. On the couch, she sits sipping her beer. Her well-behaved, medium-sized dog is quiet, and at ease by her side. And then the man walks up. I observe his determined gait. His hunting stare brings the dog to its feet. The man stops just on the edge of leash-length. He tries to speak but the dog begins barking. The barking grows violently into intermittent growls. She lets the dog do the work. The man looking for a date exhaustedly holds his hands up in surrender. All the while, the woman sits calmly on the couch. She says nothing to the man. She does not look him in the eyes. She doesn’t attempt to quiet or comfort her dog. The man says he’s going back inside. No one responds. He is gone and the dog is quiet, sweet again. Minutes pass, she and I begin to casually chat across the patio. The dog does not bark, and her words flow freely. We are comfortable and it is easy. Because she is not prey.

Bridget Hayes lives in Northern California. Her writing is published or is forthcoming in Yellow Arrow Journal, Wild Roof Journal, Ionosphere, Ginosko Journal, and Ink In Thirds Magazine. She is a tech librarian who helps people overcome their fears of technology. When she is not reading or writing she is likely outside. She lives with her wife and two orange cats. Visit https://bridgethayes.carrd.co/or follow her @beoutside2writes on Instagram.