“Slow down!” my driver’s education instructor admonished me. “When you see one dog cross the road, always look for a second one. Most of the time they travel in twos.”
Of course, I slowed down. Not because I believed him, but because I was 15 and a half, and I desperately wanted to pass the course the first time through so I could get my driver’s license promptly at 16 with no delays.
Funny thing, but no sooner had I taken my foot off the gas when a second dog trotted right out into our path. I braked, hard, and we all lived to tell the tale.
It was a lesson I have never forgotten.
In addition to the “two dog rule,” I also follow a “two deer rule,” a “two elk rule,” a “two kid rule,” and a “one cat, pursued by one dog rule.” The rules don’t seem to apply to squirrels, frogs, birds or bears, but I still slow down, just in case.
My driver’s ed teacher would be so proud.
