YOU'VE HEARD OF BEER GOGGLES. These are the special eyeglasses through which bar patrons tend to observe members of the opposite sex after a few hours of socializing at the local singles bar. At closing time beer goggles tend to turn into magic mirrors, in which the eyes of the beholder reflect the desires of the beholder rather than the mutt in front of him. Or her. Or him. At times like this, it doesn't matter.

Rarely have anthropologists been able to capture such a moment live on film. I believe I may have gotten lucky.

Not as lucky as "Steve" (not his real name) who tends bar at Kelliann's at 44th and Spruce in West Philly. By the end of the evening "Steve", who hadn't been drinkinbg, was clearly smitten by "Marmaduke" (not her real name) a fetching great dane with balls around her ankles..

Some of us shooting pool at closing time tried to give "Steve" a subtle heads up: "Ixnay on ogday ocktay." But there's no accounting for taste. Or fur.

I haven't seen "Steve" since Friday morning. But on Saturday I saw "Marmaduke" chasing a beagle through Clark Park. The great beast paused when he recognized me. Then he stood up on his hind legs and gave me a paws up.