Voyeur

As soon as I immerse myself into the wide open, uncovered plot of land within Congress Park, my primed ears hear the sound of thin metal clicking together. A sound I am conditioned to perk-up to; I turn my head with excitement to happily find a dog running after a hollowed rubber frisbee. It is as if I can hear those tagged collars from a mile away. I find a bench nearby to sit and observe the lively movements and actions of my new four-legged friend. The moderately sized black and grey speckled dog had a soft tint of blue that was enhanced when holding the bright blue frisbee within its mouth. I followed its path of retrieval with my eyes until my attention shifted to the man responsible for the powerful toss. He’s wearing an oversized heathered grey sweatshirt, with the hood up over both his head and baseball cap. The sweatpants had a logo down the pant leg that vaguely looked like the word university - though hard to truly say from my distance. Perhaps he is currently in college or a recent graduate. His face and actions tell me perhaps mid-20’s, in that he is still young and fit, but mature and somewhat experienced. The dog knows him very well and is tuned into his every move. He has full trust in his owner and is more obedient than anyone can hope for. The man performs little jumps and spurts of running to hype-up his companion. The interactions between the two of them are wholesome and pure. I continue to scan the surrounding area but it seems he came alone. Perhaps this dog is his first major sense of responsibility now that he is on his own. Or simply the first addition to his near future family. Nonetheless, the dog looks beautiful and healthy, and so does he. To loved and be loved no matter the species; that is a wonderful experience.



(Congress Park, 2/23/19)