Slice of Life: A Walk Around the Block

(This is for the Slice of Life challenge, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. We write on Tuesdays about the small moments in the larger perspective … or is that the larger perspective in the smaller moments? You write, too.)

I took our dog, Duke, for a leisurely walk around the neighborhood yesterday. It was a warm end-of-summer day.

Duke, cartooned

Here’s what Duke and I saw:

  • Two puppies and one elder dog, and Wally the cat. Wally, a female, loves dogs, and loves Duke, so she rolled on the pavement as Duke investigated, touching noses before moving on.
  • A dead squirrel. Duke wanted to get closer. I did not want Duke to get closer. I won that tug of war.
  • Three young sisters on some sort of electric scooter/bike that their handyman dad cobbled together. They zoomed past us, huddled together on the contraption, giggling, “Hi Duke.”
  • A hummingbird at the flower patch by the mailbox. Duke didn’t seem to notice or pay attention but I did. I never get tired of seeing hummingbirds and their ability to seemingly float in midair.
  • Three people who mentioned my New York Giants shirt (we live in New England Patriots country), with a mix of humor and friendly derision. I still had some hope for my team last night. Wasn’t enough.
  • A neighbor out raking, the first leaf raker I have seen this season. She stopped, leaning on her rake, and we chatted, and when she said, “I can’t believe I am doing this already,” I playfully suggested she “leap into the huge pile of leaves” she had raked. She declined. I kept walking.
  • Five possums in a possum parade, crossing the street from a small dingle to a small drainage culvert. One saw Duke and leaped back to hide. The other four hustled across the street. They are funny-looking things, sort of creepy with wobbly bodies and short legs.
  • The next-door house that has seemed too empty in recent days. One of our elderly neighbors was taken to the hospital a few days by ambulance, and we think he’s still there, and his wife is no doubt spending time there. Duke looked to the house. He always had treats in his pocket for Duke.

Peace (through the days),
Kevin

 

7 Comments
  1. You’ve made me rethink my dog walking mindset. I admit I see it as a necessary chore most of the time, so thank you for the encouragement to be more generous, observant, and connected. (Still not going to warm up to possums though)

  2. Ways of noticing in the world. I do wonder if you are out with something/someone who is at a very different height is the world different?

  3. Perfect for a Lumen 5 or zeega. Make it a textless feldgang!

    antispamgang: kelp pill. Ughhhh, I hated these new dehydrated kelp pills. Why couldn’t they make dehydrated french fries or peach sorbet? Oh, well. Let the kelp eating begin.

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