Chapter 15

No excuse, sir! I left my journal at Miss Krystal's home, but other than taking field notes for an update Monday, 29 September 1980, I failed to fill out the journal. The hours Miss Krystal and Harmony kept on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were 0500 to 2300—mostly. Harmony said that we were living off black coffee. I'm weak—black coffee makes me nauseous.

We visited schools, groups for young women, a few adult women's groups and three churches. There were even some private homes—and Miss Krystal requested that I omit names, addresses and details that could identify those private homes from my journal. In accordance with those instructions I didn't take notes on the visits to those homes.

Goofy saved me during a public event at a mall. I am beginning to fear malls. A robust woman with short gray hair snarled obscenities at me, pushed me, started slapping me, and I fell down. Instantly Goofy was standing over me, 60 pounds of fangs and short fur. Goofy convinced me that he wasn't bluffing. The woman ran screaming from the courtyard—perhaps she didn't think Goofy was bluffing, either. Military working dogs are trained to stay with the handler when the handler goes down, and that may be why Goofy's prey reflex wasn't triggered. The worst thing one can do when facing an aggressive dog is run away. When the danger was past, Goofy and Harmony and Miss Krystal checked my welfare. I had a bloody nose (Goofy kept licking it) but otherwise seemed okay. A little headache. I managed to hit the floor correctly and didn't bang my head—thank you Sergeant Saunders for those judo classes. Other than that bit of battery, the only confrontations were verbal.

At another venue Miss Krystal had me explain why I was dominating Harmony. I used Goofy as an example. Harmony isn't a dog, but I respect dogs and I respect humans. I lend a sense of security and purpose to Goofy. Then I began praising my friend Goofy as a teacher, a companion—and a protector.

"Goofy, heel!" I commanded. The Doberman emerged from the edge of the stage to sit on my left side. I explained to the audience that the 'heel' command was complicated as I rubbed Goofy's neck, shoulders and head—when I moved, Goofy would maintain position. When I stopped, he'd stop and sit next to me, waiting for my next command. He would keep doing that until released. "I don't do this with Harmony, though."

"Why not?" a woman in the audience asked.

"Let's," Harmony said. "A collar and leash would be comforting."

"I was trained to command dogs," I said. "Miss Krystal is still training me on humans. Humans are more complicated than dogs."

"That's right, Scott," Miss Krystal agreed. "You command Harmony only while I am present. When Harmony and you are alone, she is in charge because she is the adult. You told me yourself that sometimes Goofy will tell you to do something."

"Dogs can't talk," the speaker was a girl.

"Not human speech," I said, "but they do attempt communications. Often it's just feelings. Dogs and humans are social animals. We've been partners for at least 25,000 years. It is an unequal partnership and we humans haven't properly rewarded dogs. Goofy doesn't ask for much. He gives me everything he has."

Harmony sighed at that. She hugged me from behind, her head on my shoulder. Miss Krystal chuckled.

"Both Scott and Harmony suffered severe abuse," Miss Krystal lectured. "Harmony needs someone safe to submit to. Scott can be conditioned to submissiveness or he can be trained for loving domination. Not every person can learn domination. Scott proved he was worthy of training because of how he treats the dogs, horses and even the barn cats at Mackie Military School. Scott respect the lower animals—a dom must respect the submissive. That doesn't mean letting the submissive do whatever he or she wants. Scott, why do you ask the dog things?"

"Goofy knows things I don't," I responded. "On the other hand I am limited by a language barrier. I wish I could understand Goofy better."

The Doberman licked my hand. Coincidence? I submit that the dog understood human speech and human body language better than I understand dog language.