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Rana was a particularly cute dog, and this is an example of it, as the first incident was. However, this, unlike the first incident, took place at home. The main street, through part of Whitley Bay, is divided into blocks having six crossings to address, and on this occasion, we had to get practically to the sixth crossing. As we waited at the second crossing, a very small elderly lady came up to my right hand side, and asked me if I needed help across the road. As I knew Rana could cope safely, I thanked her very much, and added that my dog could manage these crossings okay.
The junction was clear, and I gave the command, and off we went. We then came to the third of these crossings, and the same voice, asked me if I needed help across this one. She must have been either, running to keep up with us, or was able to walk as quickly as us. She must have only come up to my chest in height, and by the sound of her voice, I assessed, she was well advanced in years. She must have thought that i really could cope, as she then answered me, ""lright luvvie", and stepped out into the crossing, right in front of a car about to turn into the side street. The woman then dithered in the crown of the road in the junction, and decided to continue across just in front of another car coming up to the junction, whereupon, she went into a course of circular movements, muttering as she did so, "oh dear dear me, oh dear oh dear dear me ...", trying to make up her mind whether to go on or return to my side. she decided to come back but had effectively stopped all the traffic in every direction as there had been cars from both sides in the main street wanting to turn into this side street and a queue of cars wanting to turn into the main street.
Rana and I continued to wait at the kerb while the traffic sorted itself out, and eventually, the crossing was really safe to cross. I gave the command, and then, suddenly and quite unexpectedly, Rana got up from her sitting position, but instead of stepping out into the road straightaway, she first came across me and nudged the woman, as if to say, "it's alright now, come across with us!" The woman did so, saying, "Oh, what a wonderful dog, isn't it clever?"
She must either have needed a shop on the way to the fourth crossing, or decided to slow down her pace, as she was absent from my side for the next two crossings we had to negotiate. That, to my mind, was a gesture way beyond the call of duty.
best wishes to all.