Works in Progress – April 27, 2023

Best Intentions 
By Deborah Holt Williams

“This dog is too coddled! And now we’ve remodeled, there’ll be no more dogs on the bed!”
he said.

“This is OUR bedroom and I need my legroom. I don’t need her butt on my head!”
he said.

“Alright,” I said. “Good night,” I said. “We both need a good night’s rest.”

Then I see what appears to be long floppy ears and the dog sound asleep…
on his chest.

To Bentley and tears on the street
by Jeanne Souldern

I was walking a friend’s dog
Down Main Street
When I heard a young woman crying.
She was sitting behind a juniper tree.

“Rough day on Planet Earth?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she sobbed.
I reassured her that “I’ve been there myself.
Trying to hide my tears on the street.”

You’re not alone.
None of us are alone.
We’re all in this together.
Even though we build walls between us.
And then need a suit of armor to go about our daily lives.

“This is Bentley.”
I say, pointing to the dog.
“He’s big and very sweet.
He smells everything,
And pees on everything he smells.”

She reaches forward to pet Bentley’s ears.
She’s stopped crying now.
Bentley has offered his “it’s-gonna-be-okay” magic
Because that’s what big, sweet dogs do.