LOL. You remind me of my Irish grandmother. Whenever we’d go out for just a walk or to the park she’d bring an old cane. “In case we meet a friendly dog.”
Now having a wee grandson that I take for walks on our local nature trail I’m thinking I should do the same thing.
I had Irish grandparents on my mother’s side. Even after decades of life in the city of New York, they still had settled ways of doing things that traced back to the old country — meaning County Cork and Dublin. And a few years ago, visiting cousins from Dublin were pleased to detect Irish rowdiness in my generation’s manners and conduct.
Re. taking a cane while walking on your local nature trail - - -
Sure - why not? With or without a young child along.
A cane is something, at the least.