A Fast Approach to the Crossing
A cyclist pedaled his red bicycle along the asphalt road, heading straight toward the railroad crossing. Above the street, red warning lights blinked rapidly while the striped crossing barriers descended across both lanes.
A golden retriever sprinted along the shoulder just behind the rear tire, matching the bike’s pace stride for stride. Up ahead, the bright dual headlights of an approaching passenger train cut through the trees along the rails.
The rider kept his head slightly lowered, his feet continuing to pump the pedals as the bike rolled past the lowered gate. The dog widened its gait, cutting across the pavement toward the front wheel.
An Abrupt Physical Intervention
The retriever planted all four paws directly in front of the moving bicycle, barking upward toward the handlebars. When the rider swerved to pass, the dog lunged upward, throwing its front paws onto the cyclist’s leg and pushing firmly against his frame.
The bicycle veered sideways onto the wooden pedestrian planks between the tracks. The metal grille of the locomotive loomed closer, blowing its horn as the tracks began to vibrate beneath the tires.
Leaping straight off the ground, the dog struck the rider’s chest with its full body weight, driving both the young man and the bicycle flat onto the pavement. The rider tumbled sideways, striking the asphalt alongside the rails.
Clear of the Passing Wheels
The train rushed through the intersection inches away, its silver passenger cars blurring past with a continuous metallic roar. The boy lay on his side against the pavement, his helmet scraping the asphalt as the dog stood guard over him.
Once the final train car cleared the intersection and rumbled into the distance, the boy pushed himself up onto one knee. He grabbed the handlebars of his fallen red bike and lifted it back onto its two wheels.
He checked his hands and knees, turning to look directly at the retriever standing quietly beside him on the crosswalk. The dog gave a single wag of its tail, nudging its wet nose against the boy’s leg.
A Moment Together on the Road
Across the tracks, several bystanders who had stopped behind the gate began clapping their hands together. The striped gates remained upright as the evening sun dipped behind the mountain ridge in the background.
The boy let the bicycle rest against his leg, lowered his body to both knees on the pavement, and wrapped both arms around the golden retriever’s neck. He buried his cheek into the dog’s thick fur while the dog rested its head over the boy’s shoulder.
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