Old Friends & Autumn Days

It was a chilly morning and he walked slowly keeping a firm grip on the leash and stepping carefully over the debris on the sidewalk. He wore a scarf and viser cap, gloves, and oversized sunglasses. Long white hair flowed over the collar of his jacket and his beard was tucked under the scarf. He was old but the dog was ancient, heavy on his feet and walking nose to the ground, his belly swaying with each step. Some variation of beagle, I thought, but with a lot of years on him. The wind was strong and against them as they made their way down the old neighborhood street and both leaned slightly forward, heads down and balance at risk. The old dog paused at an old tree, sniffing and reading the scents, and the old man waited patiently, leaning on his cane and gazing toward the next intersection. Traffic was light but each passing car created a wake and swirled the fallen leaves in mini whirlwinds and both the old man and the dog watched these small leaf storms with interest. A boy on a bicycle passed them and waved and the old man raised his hand to wave back while the dog gave a half hearted woof. The mailman passed from the opposite direction and stopped long enough to pet the old dog and shake the old man's hand.

There are a great many such pairs walking the broken sidewalks and littered streets of this town. Old men and old women with old dogs on frayed leashes, out each morning and each evening in all kinds of weather. They walk the sidewalks and the parks, familiar with each other and comfortable with their individual territories. They trace well worn routes and travel the same paths, like old friends out for a stroll on a pretty autumn day. They know each other well, always looking both ways and staying inside the crosswalks. This is the autumn of their lives and they treat it gently, respectfully. They know their time is coming to an end but will not alter their routines. They are loyal and formidable, well known sights in their neighborhood, their endurance comforting.

The old man comes to his house, a small bungalow with a fence in need of paint and an untended lawn. He and the old dog go through the gate and up the walk to the front steps where they sit side by side in the early morning sunshine and watch the world pass - two old friends enjoying the early autumn days and each other's company.