Testing Her Boots

A stout woman clumped to a halt at a signal light and hauled her two Queensland Heelers to a sit. She wore camouflage cargo pants and a long-sleeved jersey shirt, nondescript and utilitarian. They waited for the light to turn green and traffic piled up, waiting, too. Then, seeing the light had changed, she started forward, yanking a bit on the dogs' leashes. She pounded forward with an odd staggering gait, looking like she was crushing spiders, methodically and resignedly. The dogs just jogged alongside her and paid attention when she gave an occasional yank on the leash. No beauty there. Just going along, crushing spiders, testing the durability of her boots.