Extinguished Guest

Just like that

as he scurried away

It was just dark

and I was glad he was going

Someone stopped him momentarily

but he seemed uninterested

because they were unfamiliar

He ran on a slant

and fervently circled back

looking over his shoulder

every few yards

(like a schizophrenic wide receiver expecting a “Hail Mary”)

Just enough to urge on my dog “Sydney”

to keep tugging at her leash

Damn, what a nuisance!

Pull

Shuffle

Trip

Run

Adjust

Pull

(Repeat)

We reached the end of the park and thankfully

Mr. Rotweiler was given the slip

as “Syd” and I doubled back and settled into a harmonious stride

One, two, three, four

I counted as my feet

hit heavily on the downhill

and my anxiety over the situation dissipated

as I looked onward

Then – HONK, HONK!

Thump!

Screech!

As they all came to a halt – save the driver.

And, pristine but for his dead eyes

and breathless body lay the pup...

Who, like each one of us,

just moments before,

was running gleefully towards his death.

Ryan Naffziger, M.D.

Class of 1998