Two dogs, Twenty minutes

The moon is a waxing crescent tonight. A dog barks in the distance. A dog nearby (about 4 feet away) wants to bark, but knows better. She quietly barks under her breath. She creeps up the steps and looks hopefully at the door. A mosquito buzzes around her head. She casually puts her mouth around it. No more buzzing. The door opens and in she goes. Another dog pants in the yard. He makes muffled chomping sounds, teeth on stick, teeth on stick. Inside, a tongue laps at a bowl of water. The door opens and dog comes back outside. She wanders around for a moment then sits on the deck and starts to lick herself until she's told not to. She takes a few more steps to be within arm's reach. She gets a few pats on the head. She walks away. She stops to look through the fence into the darkness beyond, seeing nothing, sensing something, thinking very little.... all instinct. The distant barking is becoming more earnest. Dog nearby again wants to join the chorus. She growls but resists barking. Good dog. There's a licking on my arm as brown dog comes by for a break from stick chewing. Slobber once. Slobber twice. Back out to the stick in the yard. Black dog again takes her spot for a quick pet. Then off to the deck for some more resting. Small bugs, beetles of some sort, fall from above and land on their backs. I flick them away. PETA would approve. Black dog comes back for a petting but receives none. She moves on. The Doppler shift of panting means brown dog is on the move. He's usually on the move. Another distant bark is breaking the silence to the north. Whatever has the canine world upset this evening is in motion or in multiple locations. Black dog again wants to share her opinion with the neighborhood, but mumbles "bark" instead, a puff of air forced through her chops - far from a bark. Brown dog licks a few toes, sniffs around then jumps off the stoop. A beetle. Poor bugger. Not sure how PETA feels about a dog killing a bug.

Eight and a half hours of abandonment are forgotten. Brown dog surely has forgiven while black dog will add this to the list of injustices she has suffered under our regime. Time for bed. A wag and a kiss.