heat rising

hey, lover dog.

o. hey.

whats up!

nothing. just waiting.

waiting?

yeah. pretty much.

hey, uh, he-who-suddenly-speaks-very-little, whats the changeup for? are you down?!? in doggie heaven?

dont start. im older now, wiser. things change. shit happens. i may not be in the physical anymore but my understandings are growing and lemme tell you, i actually miss you and your absolutely terrible life.

hey!

seriously.

thats MY terrible life youre talking about, take it easy.

i do. i miss the hot asphalt which would burn the bottom of my feet pads off but you would have no idea, making me stand in the parking lot of some random irrelevance of a town.

o, now you sound like me.

i actually miss you, can you believe it?

um yeah. actually. ive been missing you from the beginning. since you died.

well but jenn, youre you. you know. cant be helped, im just a little thrown. i miss food.

um shep?

yeah.

uh, is it weird if like, a dead dog and a live human go on as though nothing had changed? like, still hung out and did things together? im sorry i just dont want to replace you or some crap like that. are you into it, even if its weird?

arent we already doing that?

oh yeah. good point. ok. so youre ok with it?

at which point did i seem to have a choice?

yeah. ok. me too. strange. never thought it would go this way.

hmm.

k.

(silence)

(silence)

k.