A Cold Breeze
24 Nov 2007
It was in the mid 20s this morning with a wind that made it feel too cold to go for a long walk with Meeker. So we played some Frisbee in the backyard. Meeker was all charged up in the cold air and rocketing around. The sun hadn’t found a way through the low clouds yet to break up the grey light.
But even Meeker’s excitement couldn’t get me to take him on a walk this morning. So I decided we should go for a drive and start on some errands before the post-Thanksgiving shoppers got up and out. Meeker and I stopped to put gas in the car and went up the road to get a cinnamon roll at the bakery. By this time I was feeling like a “Bad Dad” for not taking Meeker for a walk. I remembered there was a short trail along a stream back of an industrial complex not far away. So I took a detour and parked the car.
It has been years since I walked along that trail. The last times I was there was when I would take Milo for a walk while
Mr. Peabody was undergoing his radiation treatments. Milo and I would walk the trail after dropping off Mr P at the vet's office. Then we'd drive back to the vet's office and wait to take him home. It was warm then and I'd sit in back of the Jeep with the back door open and share my cinnamon roll with Milo. Passers by would always chuckle seeing Milo sitting or lying next to me quite intent on getting his share.Unlike then, it was a cold, blustery, grey morning as I let Meeker out of the car and we started out walking down that trail. The heron that fished in the small lake must have flown to warmer climes. As always, it was quiet, there were only a couple pairs of ducks that paddled out into the lake as Meeker’s tags jingled our passing.
Meeker was intent on the new smells, wet leaves, goose droppings and new sights. But I was years away thinking of a special dog as we made our way down the trail. As we turned at the end of the trail to head back I think it was the cold breeze that brought the tear to my eyes.
I miss him.
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