Chapter 9: Stray Dog
Street empty now, pavement around the stray dog turns green, turns yellow, turns red, over and over, street empty now, stop light don’t know that, stop light don’t care.
Stray dog stretches, back legs first, now front legs, big yawn and shake, slowly moves toward the sound, head tilts left, head tilts right, stops in a darken doorway, sniffs under the door, turns around a couple of times, then lays down shoving it’s butt up into a corner to stay warm, to stay out of sight.
Stray dog soon falls asleep...
...listening as he does every night...
...to the piano music playing behind the closed door.
Big man on piano…
…Big man drinking “Jack” on the rocks, splash of Coke, with Lemon.
Big man sips, then plays.
Plays slow, every note a memory, every note takes him somewhere else, somewhere not safe.
Piano, you know, mutes the screams only he hears.
Big man sips, then plays.
Stray dog outside has a safe place that the piano man only can wish for as well.
No safe place for you when you carry the danger within you
In you ain’t safe.
Music helps, soothes, and so he plays it slow, couple notes, sip, couple notes, sip.
Big man looks up sometimes, watches himself in the mirror behind the bar, pretends he is in the audience watching the piano man play.
Big man watching himself in the mirror starts to sing, lyrics float on just a whisper.
“In times of trouble Mother Mary…”
Ain’t no Mary coming any time soon.
Stray dog wakes up in the doorway, listens but all is quite behind the locked door.
Big man inside, asleep, head on his arms on top of the piano.
Candle out.
Ice melting in his glass.
Rats back underground, birds at the park down the street looking for worms.
East River warming in the sun.
West River, waiting.
Jogger glides between the cabs, delivery boy runs a red light, bus driver salutes him with one finger.
Stray dog licks his private parts while sitting in the doorway.
Garbage truck in the alleyway slams a dumpster back onto the ground.
Big man wakes up, walks behind the bar and puts his glass in the sink, reaches into the ice, grabs a cube and rubs it on the back of his neck.
Stray dog stands up.
Big man walks into the kitchen, opens the refrigerator and grabs 2 large slices of Roast Beef.
Stray dog licks his mouth.
Big man walks toward the front door while eating the Roast Beef.
Stray dog backs up.
Big man unlocks the door, opens it.
Stray dog sits down and looks up.
Big man kneels down and gives the stray dog the larger piece of Roast Beef.
Stray dog eats the meat and then licks the big man’s hand…
Big man rubs the stray dog’s ears, stands up and shuts the door.
Stray dog walks away.
Big man goes home.