Out of the Car and Onto the Trail

Out of the car and onto the trail, the ancient baby Boomer stopped, gagged some spittle from his prolapsed throat. We didn’t stop the stopwatch. Later, he charged off trail deep into the woods for

privacy, circled and circled and circled and then did his business. We did stop the watch for that lapsed time. “Are you finally ready?” I asked.  Ignoring me, he moved to the left side of Chris

who jogged a few feet in front. I pushed go on the stopwatch. He ran, stopped, sniffed, ran, stopped, sniffed, charged in front, dropped to the back, stopped and inhaled deeply of something

aromatic. “Boomer, catch up,” I yelled to the half deaf dog.  Three times and I have a voice that carries.  Once a pompous fellow sitting a table over from where we sat coughed to get my attention

and with his hand motioned up and down for me to keep it down. I wasn’t in a good mood, motioned back and they got up and went in another room. Finally, I screamed bloody murder and the dog

bolted upright and charged in front of me, ignoring me as he passed on his way to sidle up to his mistress.  It had the same feeling for me as I think my motion had had for the pompous guy.

Boomer wheezed and coughed and his breathing sounded like his snoring at night while he sleeps on the bed in between me and Chris, mostly next to Chris, who then complains about not having

any leg room.  But he kept going and when we finally stopped back where we started, he snorted and sighed. We made a right turn out of the parking lot instead of the usual left so he said to us,

“When we get to town and you and Chris sit at the outside patio of one of your favorite restaurants for your summer time Sunday Make Your Own Bloody Mary with a beer chaser and I almost

always come along and lie just on the other side of the wrought iron railing from where you are sitting because we aren’t allowed by Michigan law to be where food is being served for reasons

completely beyond my comprehension. I’m very clean. Besides, I really like being close to you without a railing in between…”  “Boomer, get on with it,” I huffed impatiently. Ignoring me,

looking right at Chris, he got on with it.  “What I’m asking is would it be all right if I just stayed in the car and had a drink of water from the bowl on the floor of the backseat and took a nap?” “Okay, sweet boy,” Chris said.  His final instruction was, “Please don’t forget

to park in the shade, leave the windows open and give me a little more water .  Oh, and one more thing, could I have a pain pill when we get home?” As we walked to the restaurant, I looked at Chris and asked, “You don’t think that dog is spoiled do you?”

“Yes, but he did say please.”