Nightwalks

Now that it is getting darker earlier, we've started up our nightwalks again to the evident delight of the doggie-pals. It's not the same during the summer. Then, nightfall is later and the air is still warm and moist from the daytime scorch. But now, by eight or nine, it is brisk and cool and the deutscher doggies are in their element. They assemble at the back gate impatiently waiting for me to put on their leashes and, once the gate is opened, take off with such velocity as to nearly yank one of the leashes out of my hand. Invariably, the chord gets stuck in a car fender or the pals run on opposite sides of a pole. One way or another, things get untangled and the dachshund gallop heads down the back alley toward the street.

Fips actually gall-hops like some oversized rabbit. Rosco doesn't but rather scurries along like a big furry centipede. Either way, they just as abruptly halt to sniff. They decide whither and yon they want to go and, since the town is pretty quiet at this time of night, I simply follow their meanderings occasionally casting the third vote when they want to head off in opposite directions.

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