the tilted head pearly white smile on her obituary confirmed it - with a name like that her life had to be destined for much happiness I bet she’s one of those people many loved and many more would have loved to the impish curl of the lips a bit of mischief in those beaming eyes looks to me like she never abandoned the best part of her an innocent child brimming with life

yesterday's odor reminded me of Delhi where we went out early exploring the city on sidewalks pointed away from the hotel walked by belching cars and coughing busses, through the cooking smoke of curbside fires, the poor stirring something in their pots with hands hovering to stay warm I remember nearly stepping into a manhole without its cover on the way back in dim light and no cones tape or barrier of warning I took in a huge smoky sigh of relief so you see one

I could just add a cane to my grandfatherly gait as I slide one foot cautiously in front of the other, stop every few, look back, then ahead for the next set of go’s and stops I’m trying to embody the epitome of patience and match the morning walk of our eighteen-year- old dog, Gracie, no hurry nowhere to be, sniffing the news from every bush, the gossip of each tree the rumors in every stone, inhaling seconds from the minutes of the days left