Work Like a Dog!

A couple of dogs in Bryant Park

Work Like a Dog!

There is a gray-granite fountain near the edge of Bryant Park.  I was sitting on the edge of the fountain, feeling the cold stone underneath me.  The cool helped to revive me after more than one half of a day of walking through the city.  This was my chance to rest a bit, while still participating in one of our family holiday traditions; purchasing tree ornaments in the artisan stalls at New York City’s Bryant Park.

On this gray, yet still quite warm, day in late November, the park was brimming with people.  Some were shopping, some were ice skating and some were resting at the fountain with my son-in-law Ren McKnight and me.  Just a few were sitting with the two us on the edge of the gurgling fountain.  And, there were more than just people at the fountain.

Two cute dogs came and sat next to us.  They were on leashes, connected to the people in their family.  It was a family outing for the dogs as well.  And, I was hoping they’d pay a little attention to me as well, since I was missing my own dog who was staying in his Stansbury Park hotel.  My desire led me to reach my right hand out, ever so gently, so the younger, short-haired, tan and white canine could give me the sniff test.

I could feel his cold nose against my hand.  But, he was not quickly won over.  He had more options to explore, some offering tasty morsels.

“Thanks for being kind to my dogs.”  The female member of the dog’s family said to an older couple who had taken a slight detour from the stream of swarming people so they could stoop to greet the dogs.

“Some people push them away.  Some say nasty things and are just plain mean!”  She continued.

The older couple listened empathetically and continued their gentle caresses.  Then, after a few more strokes, they straightened their backs and were immediately swallowed back into the continuous stream of humanity.

I swallowed hard at that moment too, because the younger dog immediately walked over and wrapped his torso around my right leg.  His nose was also nuzzling the inside of my left leg.  I reached out in response to rub his back with my hands.

“Looks like he’s found another friend!”  Said the woman on the other end of his leash.

We sat like that together like that for a few moments as I remembered a poem, by Marie Howe.

Oh, the coming-out-of-nowhere when. Nothing happens

No what-have-I-to-do-today-list

Maybe             halt a moment

The rush of traffic stops.

The whir of I should be, I should be, I should be slows

to silence,

the white cotton curtains hanging still.

Then soon, after rehearsing Marie’s poem in my mind, life’s whir rushed back to my consciousness, as the dogs and their family members retreated from the fountain’s edge.  The halt of the moment ended.  My hands were empty again and the cool of the day’s late afternoon began to push its notice through every part of my body.  Ren and I got up so we could also rejoin humanity’s stream.  My thoughts and legs straightened as I stood near streams edge.

“I need to work like a dog, more!”  I said to myself as I still relished the halt moment gifted to me.

There is a gray-granite fountain near the edge of Bryant Park.  I was sitting on the edge of the fountain, feeling the cold stone underneath me.  The cool helped to revive me after more than one half of a day of walking through the city.  This was my chance to rest a bit, while still participating in one of our family holiday traditions; purchasing tree ornaments in the artisan stalls at Bryant Park in New York City. And, my soul was restored by the work of a dog. 

It was the work of a dog, a dog who seemingly came out of nowhere, banished my what-have-I-to-do-today-list, halted the moment, and stopped the rush of life’s traffic.