Parker

Parker

At the park. It was the easiest place to get to for the dreaded walk I’m supposed to take daily. I didn’t take one every day, but I hit several days a week. They don’t grill old ladies at the doctors. They ask, we talk, they usually know if we’re lying. Several time a week keeps happy. I don’t like walking all that much, but I hate getting lectures from people young enough to be my grandchildren.

The sun was shining, which was good and bad. I like the sun, but on sunny days, more people show up at the park. So, to avoid the possibility of meeting anyone chatty… I took a shortcut through the trees. I’d done it before. You have to walk through the brush a bit, but it’s actually quicker than staying on the sidewalk, and it looked pretty dry.

Halfway through I heard a noise, some bird I imagined, though I couldn’t see where it was. Closer to the ground, but bird-ish. Suddenly turning paranoid at the idea of some looney bird attacking me for walking near its nest or something, I picked up a large stone, ready to toss it if something suddenly came flying out at me. Another few steps, and something did! It was not a bird, it was actually a very raggedy looking dog, or maybe even a puppy? Freaked, I jumped and tossed my rock before I knew what it was, which went right over it’s head and made a noise where it landed. The pup bolted, away from the noise, and toward me, and jumped right into my arms! It was shivering. What else could I do? I brought her home.

I do go to the park every day now, Parker loves it, and I love her.