LONDON, U.K. -- The conversation began this way:

鈥淢ike told Val, and Val told me, that dogs no longer have to be kept on the lead.鈥

To the red-eyed and half-crazed masses, bound together in isolation鈥攃linging to the slightest sign of normalization鈥攖his was amazing and joyful news.

If it was true.

鈥淗ow would Mike know?鈥 I asked dismissively. 鈥淲ouldn鈥檛 we have heard something official?鈥

But sure enough, there seemed to be a new sign鈥斺淐oronavirus Update鈥濃攐n our gate of The Regent鈥檚 Park, replacing the word 鈥渕ust鈥 with the word 鈥渟hould.鈥

鈥淒ogs should be kept on leads.鈥

There was an immediate and giddy temptation to reach down, unclick his collar, and let the Sammy dog run free鈥攆or the first time in weeks.

Sign at park

It seemed like a clear victory in the Great Lockdown park war: 1 for the happy puppies, frolicking and kicking up their paws on the spring grass, 0 for the huffing, puffing, spitting joggers.

Then, with the lighting reaction of two highly trained, inquisitive journalists, we both muttered through our ninja masks at the same time: What does 鈥渟hould鈥 actually mean?

It wasn鈥檛 exactly permission to let loose the canines of north London, but it wasn鈥檛 a full prohibition either. It could go either way, I guess.

Looking around, most dogs were still being obediently walked on leads, as if 鈥渟hould鈥 hadn鈥檛 replaced 鈥渕ust鈥 at all. There was something admirable about it.

The farther we ventured from the gate however, the more we encountered those old signs鈥攖he ones that said 鈥渕ust鈥 keep dogs on lead. As you can imagine, this created quite a bit of doubt and confusion for the two journalists in question.

He: 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 seen that new sign anywhere else.鈥

She: 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 seem like anything has changed.鈥

The Royal Parks website didn鈥檛 offer much clarity. There was a subtle change, I suppose. It now 鈥渟trongly advises鈥 keeping dogs on a lead, but it鈥檚 no longer a command.

So, what was it, should or must? And what does one do in the face of such a moral dilemma, with a yearning dog begging you for freedom? Oh, those pleading eyes Sam.

Admittedly, the word 鈥渟hould鈥 puts the onus on the individual. It is a recommendation, not an order. It requires a choice. Maybe that was the idea from those tricky people who look after Her Majesty鈥檚 beautiful parks.

To see how many us would yield to this obvious muddling of the rules and let playful doggies roam. It certainly opened the door to compromise.

Could one go early in the morning, say, and let doggie run before it gets busy. Would that qualify?

Or, let doggie run free on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays? Now, that seems like a relatively guilt-free solution, one that lives up to the spirit of the guidelines, if not the letter.

I can see this is going to be a difficult issue to resolve, one that demands careful review, and delicate consideration. It may also involve some palliative consumption. The women who convene for Zoom cocktails twice a week鈥擲arah, Ruth, Mellissa and Louise鈥攁re already divided.

In summary, may I just say this kind ethical challenge is not what the world needs in the middle of a pandemic. Lead? Or no lead? I might have to call for a show of well-washed hands on this one.

Yes, you absolutely should. Make that must.