Age
There was once a man named Time who owned a cattle farm. No, he was not father time, nor did he have anything to do with the long vast continuum of Time, that was just his name. He had many acres of rolling hills filled with deep green grass, bright orange Butterfly Weed Flowers, lilac Joe Pye Weed, and many other flowers and plants that made the most beautiful mosaic when you looked out from the kitchen window. His house was a fairly typical ranch style that looked like it had been around for a very long time. Don’t misunderstand, it wasn’t run down by the best man’s standards. Time had been diligent when buying his house to make sure it had been kept in shape, and he had followed suit. His personal ‘Honey do list‘ never reached more than four items long. Leaky water pipes were fixed deftly, and the weather vane was oiled before it could quite finish it’s song. Again, don’t misunderstand, Time didn’t sit around waiting for something to break, he had many a head of cattle to care for and no help to do it for him.
Time also lived alone. He had a horse, a few chickens, and of course cattle, but those are a pale substitute for another person. No kids, no family, and especially no wife. After she had walked out with another man for the fifth time, Time’s heart had broken down and just couldn’t be started again. It wasn’t so bad anymore. Time barely even noticed being alone anymore. Well, that is before Wine.
Time had a dog named Wine. Wine had been with Time since he had stumbled onto the front porch, nothing but a small bundle of fur and despondent yips and coo’s. He had taken in the little pup, settled him down with some warm mash, and sat in the lone rocking chair on his wrap around porch, thinking about what he wanted to do next. Time let Wine inside, and the pup immediately bolted about the house getting into far too much far too quickly. A quick grimace stuck on Time’s face, but he ended it’s life with a chuckle. He picked up Wine with two hands, and held him to his face. Wine rubbed his small nose against Time’s cheek and, tickled by his beard, sneezed in the perfect puppy fashion. The bearded man smiled and carried Wine to the bedroom and set him down next to the bed on a blanket. The puppy ran about the room, tugging on Time’s pants and being a general nuisance as Time readied himself for bed. The man turned down the lights, and deliberately stroked Wine into a prone stance. After a while, the puppy had settled down and understood what Time wanted. So, he rolled on his side, squirming a bit, and settled down to sleep. The man lay down in bed and thought about what the rest of his life would hold. Sleep came slowly, but neither noticed, for both couldn’t stop thinking about their new companion
Things changed for Time, as did things for Wine. A dog door was installed into the two doors of the house. Wine got used to two square meals a day, and nothing to drink but water. The horse became accustomed to the dog accompanying them. The chickens never did get used to Wine, but thats just chickens for you. Above all, Time learned what it’s like to live with something that you love. Both the dog and the man grew into each other. There was no longer two entities. They had grown into one.
In this process, Wine was to be taught to be a working dog. He was to learn how to herd the cattle from the outer pastures to the barn. It was slow going. Time first walked,well dragged, the dog on a rope, talking to Wine constantly, always petting him and coaxing him with treats and kind words, trying to cure him of his distinct fear of cows. As things usually do, Wine got better. He no longer had to be dragged, and would often run to end of the rope,which really was only about eight feet, and when he knew it was safe, bark at the cows. As things went on Wine learned more and more. Time put away the rope, but would still walk with Wine every evening. It came to the point where Time only had to call once or twice, depending on the mood of the cattle, and Wine would really do all the work. Time would eventually walk less and less. First he walked to the fence posts, then he would lean against the gate with one foot on the bottom rung and his two hands interlaced on the top rung. Eventually, Time only had to open the door and walk to the rocking chair, and then it was no longer needed for him to do anything. Time would just look at Wine with his glassy astro blue eyes and click his tongue. Wine would zip out into the field and round up the cattle. Things went like this for a very long time. Both parties continued on doing their part about the ranch, still growing into each other. Time became an old man and Wine became an old dog. Time was coming back from oiling that songbird of a weather vane, and paused. Posing like he used to when they were both still young for just a moment, his faded long-sleeve flannel murmered in the fresh wind, his white hair wavered, his eyes closed ever so gently for just a moment, and he took in deep fulfilling breath of the air he had come to love. He opened his eyes, swept them across his land and accepted the things that were. He walked back to his old porch and sat down in his old rocking chair. His old companion walked over and put his old head on Time’s old knee. Time looked at Wine with his eyes and Wine looked back. Time looked at the only thing that he was sure had loved him and said,
“Listen Old Boy, you don’t need to fetch the cattle today. Let’s just sit a while. It’s pretty tonight isn’t it? Yes, yes it sure is.” pausing here, Time scratched behind Wine’s ear, his favorite spot. Wine tilted his head a bit to one side and closed one eye, getting the full scratch.
“The sunsets were the only thing that kept me going before you came around. They’re nice. They don’t have any reason to be beautiful, they just are.” Time again paused. He put his hand under Wine’s jaw and squeezed gently. Time looked up and out across the plains. The cattle dotting the hills, grazing on the flowers. The milky blend of the colors of the sunset simmered in Time’s eyes.
“You know Wine, I just wanna say something without you gettin all up on me. Just take it as it is, and let that be enough. Can I do that? Ok, well here it is. You’re the best kind of friend an Old Boy like me could ask for. Aw, stop with that. Just sit here a while with me. Even you gotta agree it’s nice tonight.” Time paused one last time. He held his dogs head in his hand and drank in this moment. He remembered everything that life had dealt him. His whole hand was on the table. All the time he had walked home to a empty lifeless house, his wife gone again. He remembered the color of the pen and the taste of a tear as he signed the divorce papers. He remembered selling everything and moving away from anyone. He remembered shutting down his heart. He remembered everything life had given him. He looked at Wine and smiled.
“You don’t need to get the cattle anymore. It’s enough. Were both tired and were surely old. I know that’s all you think you can do for me and I know you want to, but you’ve done enough. If it was any other time, I’d let you go get ‘em, but not tonight. There we go, thats a good man. Just sit a while.” And sit they did, the colors splashed across the sky draining out. Time’s old eyes slowly closed, the sun was setting on his old heart. The rocking chair stopped, and Wine looked up at his old friend. He stood up, walked to the edge of the porch, took a long look back, and went to fetch the cattle once more.
