The Luxury of Grass

I 

He can no longer walk his dogs around the path of the nearby lake that begins maybe 100 feet from the parking lot.  Nonetheless, he drives his three dogs (two of whom likely cannot, like him, make the distance either) into the lot where he pulls his car up close to the curb.  He opens his driver side door and gently plunks each dog down onto the green grass, securing them on retractable leads.  Each dog has perhaps an 8 foot radii to move as he remains in the car.  He has done this, at the same park, in the same spot, like clockwork every morning and in all types of weather.  Because though he cannot walk, himself, he understands the gift of the grass below for his dogs; for the fresh air, and the chance to bark at the passersby.

I haven't seen him in quite some time.  And I think of him every time I visit the park with my own dog.

In this time of quarantine, as we are all doing our best to remain indoors, I think of him and his lessons of the luxury of grass.