This is Nine-Eye. He's our neighborhood mascot. Lovely Wife wrote about him yesterday. She's got more pictures in her post (I stole this one from her).

He's got a bit of urban legend about him. About a year ago the father of a teen down the street committed suicide. The next day Nine-Eye showed up. Animal control was called but he wouldn't let them near him. He's made his home in our neighborhood ever since.

He's an older dog with white showing up on his muzzle but he's still spry enough to play with the pups on our street, even our psychotic lab Kota. He is the low dog on the totem pole, deferring even to the mutant sausage dog from the end of the block. He's so timid that we're pretty sure he was seriously abused by his owners before escaping or being abandoned.

Several families in the neighborhood have adopted him. Some people feed him, others have set up sleeping areas in flower beds, everybody greets him with happy faces and kind words. In fact, I'm pretty sure that a couple of houses (including ours) feed him on a regular basis. He just goes from one to the next at each specific supper time.

When the kids are out playing Nine-Eye is there, a cautious distance apart but ready and willing to put himself between them and anybody dangerous. When the dogs are out he follows them around, plays and runs with them. When Lovely Wife and I go outside at night for some quiet and to enjoy the beautiful fall weather he's there, excited and happy to greet us. Early in the morning he waits with the kids at the bus stop next door and then he comes back to see me off to work.

I mentioned how shy he is but let me describe in greater detail. He won't eat near people or the other dogs. When you put food down he waits patiently until you walk well away from the bowl. It took quite a while but he'll now take a treat from my hand. He's incredibly gentle and if I don't release it right away he won't take it by force. Even on a successful transfer he walks well away before eating the treat. He's to the point where I can give him a little scratch or rub as he walks away and he won't run but that's the most contact that he'll allow.

Yesterday morning was special. I went outside with my coffee and my PDA to check my email and enjoy a beautifully warm, wet morning. He'd spent the night in our carport to stay dry and when I sat down he walked over and put his head on my leg. I scratched him behind the ears for a few seconds before he walked off. He sat down a short distance away (much closer than typical) and we spent the time in companionable silence. It was a great start to the day.

What's in the future for Nine-Eye? He seems to be in excellent health. He's mobile and active and has his own little niche in our community. Many of us welcome his presence, some don't, at least one neighbor is actively set against him. Will Animal Control get him one day? Are we making that more likely by teaching him to trust us?

There's no way to know what the future holds but I hope he's with us for a long time, and hopefully with ever increasing trust.

NOTE: There is a long line of people ready to kick the shit out of the person who beat this phobic timidity into this dog. Lovely Wife and I are at the front of the line.