The Russian Dog Man

So I live in an apartment complex.  I am very grateful to be back in this neck of the woods.  So much more diversity.  When I first came back to the USA, I was living in 'whiteville.'  I kept looking for the people of color.  There is something in me that needs to be surrounded by other cultures and other languages.  Where I am living now I see many African Americans, true Africans, Samoans, Asians, Hispanics, and Russians.  It is truly beautiful to see.

One unusual character I have run across is the Russian dog man.  His name is Vladimir.  He is quite an interesting person.  I see him walking all over the complex with his tiny dog doing strange acrobatic things.  He uses the concrete curb to do handstands and other stable physical objects.  I found his dog running free one time and so grabbed the leash and looked for the owner.  He was laying down by the pool smoking a cigarette.  I said, "Here is your dog."  He said, "Don't come any closer...the baby...the baby can't be around smoke.  Leave the leash over there."  That was funny. His dog is his baby.

Just had a conversation with him and he told me about how some people get scared of him and call the cops on him.  He has had the cops called twice this year and did spend some time in jail.  He told me that one time he spent jail in Wyoming and they let him go.  It was freezing cold outside and the jail was 10 miles from the city.  So he found some garbage bags and stayed warm in the garbage bags till he could get to the city.