Scott Crockett woke up at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning, threw on some warm clothes, and took his dog Jasper for a long walk in the darkness. Jasper plunged into a few snow drifts along the way, his tail wagging and his breath creating a fine mist in the chill morning air. They played fetch in the park for a while. Scott would throw a stick as far as he could and Jasper would charge after it, sometimes even catching it before it hit the ground. When they returned home, Scott fed Jasper some dog food out of a can. Then he made himself some sausage, eggs, and coffee and arranged a spot at the kitchen table that allowed for a good view of the front yard. The snow had lulled the world into silence. He pulled up Google on his laptop and read the morning news.
After breakfast, Jasper took a nap. Scott sat down in the living room and read a few chapters of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian until he, too, fell asleep. His buzzing cell phone woke him at 10 a.m. He let it fall silent, then checked his voice mail. Jane, his former girlfriend, had left a long, rambling message. At the end of it, she said, “By the way, Janet’s back from Cedar Springs. Her cuts are almost healed. She’s on a medication that seems to be balancing her out. Everyone wants to see you! Come on over! Mom’s worried about you being alone today. We’ll be eating at noon. Please call soon.”
Scott looked over at Jasper, who was now staring at him. He said, “Let’s take a drive into the hills, brother.” Jasper thumped his tail against the ground a few times, hopped up, and they were on their way. The roads were quiet and clear. Scott drove for hours, passing through small mountain towns he hadn’t visited in years. Sometimes, he would roll the window down so Jasper could stick his head out and gulp the brisk air. At one point, Scott parked at the edge of a lake. He and Jasper walked to a clearing where he skipped rocks across the lake’s frozen surface. Jasper disappeared into the woods for a while and eventually sauntered back, sniffing the foliage as he went.
It was starting to get dark by the time they returned home. Scott heated up some ribs, mashed potatoes, and green beans he had brought home from a local restaurant the night before and shared them with Jasper. When he was done eating, he checked his messages again. Everyone in his nuclear family had called and offered best wishes. He built a fire in the fireplace, sat down on the sofa, and turned the TV to NFL Total Access. Then he shouted, “C’mon over, buddy!” Jasper hopped onto the sofa and curled up next to him.
An hour later, Scott changed into some gym clothes and did a solid workout in his exercise room. Then he took a long, hot shower, dressed in his pajamas, and went to bed. Jasper strolled into the bedroom looking tired. The long day had worn him down a little. He jumped up on the bed and was soon asleep. As Scott began to drift off, he thought about how good life could be. He looked forward to the next morning’s walk.
