Lilith and the official looking man

I opened Lilith's crate at the Hilo airport and put her on her leash. As I walked toward the curb, carrying my bags, her crate, and the leash, I was confronted by a man who looked somehow official. He started to yell at me: THIS IS NOT A PARK; YOU CAN'T JUST LET YOUR DOG RUN AROUND; NOT A SERVICE DOG!! Finding myself in the manager position of a fight with an umpire (chin to chin, mask to mask), I asked him why he was yelling at me. I CAN'T TALK WELL THROUGH THIS MASK. CAN YOU? Then back to THIS IS NOT A PARK, even as I pointed out that she was on a leash. I reluctantly started to put her back in her crate (making her something heavy to carry, in addition to everything else). DID I TELL YOU YOU HAD TO PUT HER BACK IN HER CRATE? he said through his white mustache. YES, i THINK YOU DID, said I. I DID NOT SAY YOU HAD TO PUT HER BACK IN HER CRATE, he replied. Just then, a tall woman leaned into our scrum and asked if I needed help carrying the crate. She gave him something of a look, as I said I could carry the crate (more easily now that HE HAD NOT SAID I HAD TO PUT HER IN THE CRATE). The man said, OK, GO STAND BY THE CURB FOR YOUR RIDE, which I had indicated was coming for me. 

 

I walked Lilith and the bags and the crate to the curb and called Bryant; he was on his way. I knew Lilith needed a pee break and there were green areas nearby, but I did not take her, as THIS WAS NOT A PARK. I turned hesitantly to look back at the official man, and he walked toward us again. "What's his name?" he asked. "She's Lilith," I said. "I like her coloration," he said, looking kindly at her. He said he had six dogs at home, two old ones, 14 years, who are Lab/Rottweiler mixes, and a couple newer ones who are chihuahua/terriers mixes. No grandchildren yet, he said with a sigh. Waiting on his son. How old is he? I asked. 37. His wife wonders where the grandchildren are, but he doesn't want to go there. I agreed that pressuring him is not a good idea. 

 

And there was the old gray Nissan Versa at the curb. Lilith pulled on her leash toward the back door. "She knows her ride is here," said the official man. I wished him a good day, got in the car, and off we all went, stopping by the post office to pee.