A Boy and His Dog

Where are Chuck and Leo?  Every morning,  I set out with the dogs hoping the stars will align to allow me a brief encounter with the boy and his dog.  But, recently, no luck.  So, in their absence I have daydreamed of coffee dates and trips to the dog park.  We’ve had a lot of fun together so far!

This morning, with my anticipation at an all time high, my dogs and I headed out.  Clove wanted to stop often to smell bushes and rocks but I kept him moving.   No Clove, let's go…we might run into him…

With a quick snap of the leash, Clove was back on track…until I felt him pulling ever so slightly forward.  I released my gaze from him and looked up.  And, there in the distance, stood Chuck and Leo.  A huge smile was plastered to my face.  I lowered my chin to my chest so I didn’t look like a pile of teeth on my approach.  At about 50 yards out, Clove’s increased panting was indication that I had picked up the pace.   In no time, I closed the distance and stood face to face with the duo.

“Chuck and Leo….Right?!!?”  I knew I was right but I didn’t want to sound too arrogant like I was some master of newly learned names or something.

“Cleo, actually.  With a C…her full name is Cleopatra.”

Well shit...I got that totally wrong.

“Leo with a C.  Cleo.  Ccccleo.  Got it….how are you two doing today?”

“Kind of tired, actually”, Chuck said.  “I stayed up late last night - we had some plans to draw up and we burned the midnight oil doing so.”

I asked what he did for work and he told me he's an architect.  And, just like that he was even more handsome than before.  There’s just something about male architects…with their swanky desks and super cool angled rulers; putting on paper something that will eventually be tangible and a part of people’s stories for years to come.  

“That’s really amazing..”, I said, keenly aware of deliberately nodding my head into the momentary silence in awe over his chosen career.  After the bobble head cessation, I asked how long he’s worked as an architect, to which he answered “Twenty years”.  

Excellent.  He’s not in his 30’s like I imagined.

Our conversation revealed that he's 45 years old and I admitted to turning 50 this year.  "Wow!  You look great", he exclaimed causing me some embarrassment.  After an awkward stall, he asked for the names of my dogs.

Still blushing, I told him the names and a cute smirk swept across Chuck's face.  He liked the spice-themed names.  There was no denying it.

Me:  (giggling a bit) “Yeah, I never name my pets people names…”

Chuck:  “I love their names!  My step daughter named Cleo.”

Did he just say “step daughter?”

The overgrown smile I had been wearing slowly faded so that just the corners of my mouth slightly turned up.  “…aww, that’s really sweet”, I managed to reply.

“Erm, so what does your wife do?”, I asked, in hopes of receiving an answer that sounded something like “Oh, no…I’m not married but I’m like a dad to my Ex’s daughter still.”

But that’s not what he said.  He said she works at a dry cleaners in the Sunny Slope area.  Feeling as if my heart deflated, I mustered up an inquiry as to where a dry cleaner is around our neighborhood given the bag of clothing I’ve had hanging on a doorknob since I lived at the Bonanza house. 

The conversation continued for just a few more minutes.   As he was talking, I couldn’t help but recall all the times I knew without a doubt that he purposely waited for the three of us to catch up to him.  Even still, the future I envisioned at the coffee shop and dog park dissolved into thin air.  

I had gotten so much more wrong than just their names.

With an exchange of goodbye’s and well wishes for the day ahead, Cinnamon, Clove and I made our way back home, my steps heavier with the realization that Chuck, and Leo with C, are taken.

But, here's the thing.  The fact that I was even contemplating a relationship is really quite promising.  After all that’s happened, it's easy to be closed off to the idea.   

But, a boy and his dog showed me that I'm open. I have healed and grown and I'm thankful to them for this realization. 

I'm still kinda bummed it wasn't them but at least this gives me some more time.... to learn how to cook a steak on the stove without setting off my fire alarm.