My Doggy Friend

A college student

Drove to class

Looking for a parking spot in the concrete temple

Among the steel vehicles

*

A stray dog

Wandering, dodging,

Rain-soaked and freezing

Lost on the third floor of the parking garage.

*

My heart melted

And I called to her

Abandoned, and frost-coated.

*

She came to me

Without complaint,

With a tail wagging

And a doggy smile.

*

Class could wait

I took her home,

Gave her a warm bath

And the first proper meal she’d had in weeks.

Her ribs showed this sad reality.

*

Yes, I missed class that day

But I found a new friend and companion,

Loyal, following me everywhere.

*

But time gets the best of all

And she was no different.

A stroke left her blind in one eye

And only three legs that worked.

*

I held her and told her goodbye.

There were tears in my eyes

As the injection went in

And her body went limp.

*

Skipping class is rarely wise,

But there are exceptions to every rule,

And on that sleety winter day,

I made the right call.