pathway prattle

Slobbery tennis balls flying overhead, tunnel-vision students march unwittingly through one of Harvard's hottest social scenes. It's not the Hasty Pudding Club; it's not the Fly Club. And though the literal brown-nosing the that goes on here may resemble a punch event, this crowd runs circles around any of Harvard's ornganized parties.

While most of the 20-odd dogs who congreate on the Leverett Path belong to neighborhood residents who have no affiliation with Harvard, Quincy and Leverrett House pets have been known to mingle with the common canines. Shooting the shit--while taking care not to step in the same--their masters have also come to know each other. Conversation's easy when everyone has a four- legged ice-breaker. "You usually know the dog's name before you learn the owner's says Cicre's owner who later introduced herself as Eve Porter.

But life on the dog path isn't just a happy game of fetch; scandal surrounds these quadrupeds. The latest buzz concerns a former regular, the now infamous Acey. A few weeks ago, the rambunctious golden retriever allegedly jumped up on a pregnant assistant district attorney of Massachusetts. The expectant mother became upset. Doggie gossip spreads like wild-fire: while the victims returned to court, the community found Acey guilty without a trial. Just the other night, Porter and fellow path denizen Rick Lamb rehashed the incident in hushed tones as a Harvard student hurried past. Watching his dachshund chase after a bouncy bee-hive toy, Lamb sighed "Acey doesn't come around here any more."