The things I'd sooner forget.

I'd sooner forget that just hours ago "my" dog held another dog's stomach firmly between his teeth.

And that moments after that he held a different dog's mouth EVEN MORE firmly between his teeth.

I'd sooner forget that I cried because I felt helpless and disappointed.

And that when I called the dog lady she said "you don't have to adopt him".

I'd sooner forget the wild look on his face, as if he'd been in that situation before. But with no one to pull him off.

And that he has a story to tell. About being alone, and sick. About wandering and fighting. Defending and attacking.

I'd sooner forget this feeling of frustration. With a dog. I want to give him unconditional love.

And stop calling him "face eater".

But if it looks like a duck...
and bites like a duck...

L is for Liberating

Dear Parent X,

Let me go on the record as saying, I made a terrible mistake.

I cared.
I cared how your son was doing.
When you did not.
I pushed.
I pushed him to dig deeper, think harder, read faster.
When you did not.
I begged.
I begged him not to resort to "I don't know" when asked a question.
When you did not.
I expected.
I expected him to grow, improve, complete, succeed.
When you did not.

He told you I yelled.
And now I am.
About you.
In the privacy of my home.
(Bleep! Bleep!)

And tomorrow will be a new day.
For me and him.
Because tomorrow is the day I stop
caring,
pushing,
begging,
expecting.

Tomorrow our time will pass and I will assume he is capable of nothing.
Just as you do.

It must be liberating,
this path that you have chosen.
The one you hope I follow.

I am hoping so.


Admiringly yours.
And all that jazz.