The old dog scratched lightly at the front door at 4:50AM because, that is what old dogs often do. The old man was awake, heard the scratch and slipped out of his warm bed up with a grumble “4:50AM”. He said this not with anger but, with a kind of mirth since he never slept late anyway, old men rarely do. He felt the cold, found his slippers, and went down the stairs and found his old gal waiting by the front door. He greeted her “Hello Dusty” and walked past her to the kitchen, asked that the lights be turned on, put the coffee on, turned the heating stoves on and stopped by the bathroom. It was a routine as old as the 13-year-old dog. Out into the dark they went -the old dog anxious, him snug in a sweatshirt with flashlight in hand- too early by ten minutes for the exterior lighting. The old man was thankful because they saw no fox, deer, possum, or jogger. He knew the old dog would offer a few dignified barks but, thankfully she like he had given up the chase long ago. A few minutes later the old man sat in his comfortable chair, a warm cup of coffee in his hand listening to the stoves crackling as they warmed the house. Good ole Dusty nearby, napping because that is what old dogs and old men often do.
