Terror in the streets!

Longtime readers may recall that late Golden puppy Nipper had a pathological fear of garbage cans, so bad that I could not walk him on Tuesday or Friday mornings, when the garbage men were due. I could sometimes get away with it on "recycling" day, which was Wednesday -- those little box-like cans didn't set him off so much.

New Golden puppy Izzy, I'm glad to say, does not fear the garbage cans. He's wary of them, and I think that's fair; they're a lot taller than he is and they must put off the smell version of a KISS concert in terms of sensory overload. But he does not fear them.

However! Yesterday morning we encountered something on the street so terrifying, so horrible, that he recoiled in panic. I thought he might break free and run all the way home, if necessary dragging my bloody arm still attached to the leash. 

I got a picture of the item that scared him so badly. I include it below the break for informational purposes. If you are easily alarmed, I caution you, proceed only if you must. 

Yes, Izzy was put to flight by an old Little Tikes kitchen set that had been left on the curb, either for anyone who wants it or for the next trash pickup. This set looks to be at last a dozen years old, and while clean has clearly had a lot of love. 

Probably the children at home have outgrown it, or perhaps they brought in someone like the Property Twits to do a complete kitchen remodel. As we know, a new kitchen is a great selling point and an area where the homeowner is most likely to recoup his investment. One of the newer Little Tikes kitchens is only $150, so most likely a home equity loan will not be required. 

I hope someone comes along and gives this old kitchen set a home, though. I was tempted -- I think the freezer is larger than the one in my notoriously tiny refrigerator. But if it's going to scare Izzy, I must say no. 

Besides, I still don't know why it frightened him. Did the home have cats? Huge dogs? Ghosts? What's he smelling on it? So mysterious.