the old boy

There's a lot of sad things in life. I believe watching a loved one change for the worst in their older years have got to be pretty high up there. Was walking my dog outside on a leash, he's a bloodhound, to let him do his thing. He's 13 years old and has a white mask on his face now. Anyways, there was a time if I ever lost control of him on his leash, he would be in a dead sprint chasing a scent somewhere into the yonder. Well I wanted to go get the mail and at his age he doesn't move very fast, so I thought I would just put the leash down and go get the mail and within a minute be back to him without him straying too far.

When I put the leash down he didn't even notice. So I just slowly started making my way to the mailbox. As I was going through the mailbox I looked up at him. He had noticed I was gone. But he didn't go into that sprint. He was looking around confused. Then he looked scared and timid. He started whimpering. His visions not as good as it used to be and I was probably maybe a hundred feet away. When I got back to him he just sniffed me up and down and his tail started wagging. He didn't move an inch from where I left him. I don't think he noticed, but I had tears in my eyes. Part of me wanted to see him dart off and be that rambunctious adventurer he used to be.

Time is ruthless.