Wrigley

I am surprised how much I miss our dog.

(Please don’t get me a puppy for Christmas.)

I went along begrudgingly

but fell in love. Eventually.

I loved the puppy smallness

and the soft belly.

The barely bites on my fingers.

I loved the kids loving him.

And I loved my husband loving him.

(Even though I almost divorced him over the puppy.)

(Not really.)

I loved walks together as a family at a local game area.

I loved the camping trips when he sat

between the captain’s chairs of the motorhome

so he could see where we were off to-

our third captain, with drool.

I loved his paw on a thigh when we were sad.

I loved his happiness when we arrived home.

I swore at him when he left the yard

and roamed the neighborhood.

I hated the vet bills and vomit.

I took him in begrudgingly in the beginning

but was the only one with him in his final moments.

Tears mingled with the remaining dog hair swept up in the kitchen.

Today I was outside weeding

and swore I heard his dog tags jingling

But it was only my earrings dangling

against my skin.