puppies raze "she smell you all the way from here," zoran said. i wasn't sure if it was her at first. the blonde patch on her forehead was new. but it was cinnamon. the friendliest red poodle alive. she used to have so much energy you couldn't pet her. it was impossible. she was too fast. she would cry when she saw us. not because she was sad or afraid, but because she had too much she wanted to say about how happy she was, and no other way to express it. she would run back_and_forth between the two of us and take turns trying to climb our bodies. i think she wanted to hug us the way she'd seen people do it. in the winter i watched her eat snow and give herself a white goatee. now that it's warm, she sticks to the paved path. she's never chased another animal or snapped at anyone. she loves exploring. she loves making new friends. she loves life. she still cries a little when she says hello. but motherhood has slowed her down a little. she stays still long enough to let me touch her now. the strawberry ringlets of her fur make a soft blanket for my hands to nest in. "she have seven puppies," zoran said. he was wearing a faded purple pink floyd t-shirt. "she get so fat! but she do so good." "is it okay if i take a picture of her?" i asked. "hey!" he said. "you my friend. don't ask. please. take pictures." i took four. two of cinnamon turned to the side. two more of her smiling at me. "maybe you like to come over and take pictures of puppies?" zoran said. "not right away. they look like rats right now! but maybe in like ... ten days? we live two minutes from here. maybe we jam too. what you play?" "anything i can get my hands on," i said. he smiled. "that so awesome. i mostly bass, myself." he played a few licks for me on an invisible bass guitar. "my son, he drums. his whole bedroom? recording studio. i proud of him. he really work hard. you here every day, about same time?" "almost every other day. we're here tuesday, thursday, and saturday." "i come back ... next week. i find you. we not professional photographers. nothing like that. maybe you give us a few pictures? but all of them, you keep. whatever you want, for yourself, please. you do. we get together soon. we have fun, yeah?" i think we will. 220627 what's it to you? who go blather from