You Never Know

I paused at the Inner Harbor with pelicans in mind. Their hangout is, not surprisingly, where fishermen clean their catch. As they clean, they toss the disposable parts into the water below the pier...or, alternatively, down a pelican gullet, conveniently open and nearby. So the pelicans wait around and hope, or doze in huddled groups.

When I parked my car, they checked me out and flew to the nearest posts. The camera was obviously inedible. So I aimed and clicked the shutter...not terribly motivated but giving it a try, when I heard a considerable noise on the opposite side of the water. Lulu was the most audible and repeated word. This turned out to be the large white dog who turned out to be the purpose behind the visit to the park. The father of the boys was intent on training the dog to fetch what might have been a ball from the water. I could only imagine what this training would lead to.

I wasn't too happy about the pelicans being frightened off. And hunting is not a sport I feel at all comfortable with. So my primary reaction to their arrival and the persistent yelled commands of "Lulu, fetch..." was annoyance and distaste. Even so, with no pelicans to photograph, I aimed my camera across the water. It was a little too far, and the photo has its faults, but I really like the naturalness of the boys and the dog...the bright colors of their shirts reflected in the water, and the balancing splotch of white that is the dog...so eager to please.