A Fable About Heartache

There once was a dog and an old man that belonged to each other.
They lived next to a meadow that boarded a wood.
They were happy.
The old man would take the dog on long walks.
Across the meadow.
Through the woods.
Down gorges and up ravines.
Into creeks and rivers and ponds.
At dusk they would sit together on the porch.
And watch the birds turn in and the insects come out.
Watch the bats dart about feasting on pesky mosquitoes.
Watch the fireflies engage in their secret rituals.
From time to time the old man would reach down and scratch the dogs head.
Every once in a while the dog would lick the old mans ankle or nudge his leg.
But most of the time they sat in silence simply enjoying each others company.
One day the old man did not get out of bed.
The dog whined and barked and jumped on the bed but the old man could not be roused.
Odd smelling men came and took the old man away.
They did not take the dog, he was hiding under the flowers and tall grasses of the meadow.
As night came on the dog wandered into the woods to look for food.
The moon was full, bright, and beaming.
The dog came into a clearing and saw a coyote.
They looked at each other for a time then began to play.
Wrestling and jumping and yipping and howling.
Then they ran.
As they ran through the woods other coyotes began to join them.
The dog became part of the pack that lived in the woods.
He made many friends and played many games.
Smell the rabbit, catch the fish, and chase the tail of grandpa coyote.
The dog was happy. He became part of a new family.
Time past.
One day at dusk he came upon the meadow.
He looked out and saw the house that was once his.
And thought of the old man.
The dog felt a twinge in his chest.
A pain.
An absence.
Then he raised his head and howled at the moon yet to rise.