August 5, 1999
Remember when you were a kid at Grandma’s? Her old dog was always
asleep on the porch. You were lonesome and you wanted him to be your
playmate. So you poked him. You poked him again. He just
opened his eyes and looked at you. After a bit you poke at him a
third time. The response to this was a low growl. Sure, you
got the message, but you really love this dog and want to play with him
so bad! He’s been your buddy in years passed. If he’d just
wake up, surely he’d play with you. One more poke and he growls louder.
Now you gotta decide. Do you try once more in the hopes that he’ll
give up on his nap and spend some time with you because of your persistence?
Or are you prepared that he just might bite the one who is bothering him?
You might bleed. You might scar.
It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.
This is good advice for Internet relationships too.