Ocotber 25, 2007: Retiree Rose

Rose is a ten-year old Chihuahua who, like an increasing trend of boomers, has moved to the city for her golden years. She is spunky grandmotherly-type who disappears in her red knit sweater and throws her entire body into tiny guttural barks. Melissa, a late twentysomething speech therapist, has outfitted Rose in a blinged-out pink rhinestone harness and matching leash clearly intended for a dog half Rose's age.

Before moving to the city, Rose spent her time at Melissa's parents' home and backyard in Hershey, PA, and this sheltered existence is apparent in at least two aspects of her current behavior. First, she barks incessantly at black people (including, according to Melissa, black people on TV) and spends most of her time at the park barking at an African-American woman who seems amused. Melissa is not amused. She is overly embarrassed as she seems to think Rose's reaction reveals something deeper.

Second, Rose has quite an appetite for homeless peoples' food. This is proving to be something of a dilemma for Melissa who is trying to encourage Rose to interact with the other dogs in the park. So, on three occasions today, when Rose stopped barking at the African-American woman and ventured into the park on her own, the following pattern repeated itself: First, Melissa, like the mother of socially withdrawn child hoping the phase will pass, became visibly excited at the prospect that Rose's ten-year stay in her parents' house might not have irrevocably stunted her sociability. This excitement, however, quickly changed to concern as Rose continued past the other dogs and made a break for the half-eaten bucket of chicken next to the napping homeless woman stretched out on a ragged blanket surrounded by all of her worldly possession. This initial pang of concern is followed by Melissa sprinting to capture Rose before she makes off with the homeless woman's dinner. Unfortunately, Melissa is slow to intercept Rose on the third such attempt, which results in Rose getting her nose into the bucket; the homeless woman bitterly complaining, "I guess I can't eat hear anymore!", and Melissa and Rose making a quick departure from the dog park.