OLD TIMES
The man sees the dog. Both are a lot older than last time. The man stands and observes as the dog examines with nose the ground and lowest parts of the building. The dog is ignoring the man’s presence. It’s like he knows the man but has chosen to ignore him. This hurts the man and the man struggles to remember when the dog had left. The man doesn’t know if the dog left or died or if the man had neglected the old boy and the dog stayed behind to find food and shelter on its own.
“Ranger”, says the old man. The dog doesn’t change direction or attitude, just keeps his head low and his nose to the ground. Now the dog is farther away as he continues to process all of the smells that come to him. The man feels sad. He feels sad that the dog is there and he is sad that he hasn’t known the dog is still alive. The man feels the guilt of neglecting the dog.
How long has it been? He can’t remember. This scene is playing out. It came as a surprise, unexpected. The interruption by the dog’s presence confuses the man and he can’t focus on what he was doing just a few minutes ago. He decides to let the dog go away and he decides to begin a new train of thought. The dog seems to be doing all right for itself. Still, he misses the dog. But it’s too late.
G. M. Goodwin
2018 (more or less)
Playing Fair and Being Kind 
Sorry for the loss of Ranger. 😥
Thanks, Lynne. I have regrets for leaving him at kennels when I traveled. He was too big to ride in any car I ever had. In the pickup truck his butt was always in my face while his head was out the opposite window. His wagging tail was impossible to drive with. I put him in the back tied to a wood-rack in good weather. When it rained he’d have to stay there until I got home. As much as he was fun and a good companion he was an inconvenient size for practicality.