we arrived here, at the New Place, ten days before Winter Solstice. Time has passed. Days. Days are time. Time is a life. a life is days.
this morning, on the way Down to campsite A, to look at the Fig Tree, Puppy of course came. Puppy always comes. Always. Everywhere you are, Puppy is there. 100%. So...thinking back to Puppy.
Puppy Merced Hill. Merced...phonetically, mer said, spanish for Mercy. but here, Merced for her birthplace...Merced Califrnia. Somewhere near a dumpster at a gas station. The story can be retold.
We are stopping for gas...the All of Us, Three Vehicles, many drivers, a dog, an old cat, a months old baby, i am out, in the bright lit parking lot with Tay on a 20ft lead, hoping she will pee. Wandering. Hoping. As we pass a dumpster, a small shape moves and comes into the light. Small kitten. Moves into the light. Tay lunges. Small kitten just stands. Pulling back on Tay. Daughter Jenny walks up....looks, says we should take it. I say No. We begin to walk away and the small kitten comes forward, following us. As all the gassing up is completed, daughter tosses small kitten into the Old Cowboys truck. Back seat. Where the Old Cat Tazmeena is in a carrier. Kitten digs in. Goes to sleep.
Morning. We have arrived. To the Somewhere. Kitten has been put in the Toyota pickup for the night. Given a towel and a little bowl of canned food...we are not sure she is weaned. She shit neatly on the floor mat. Ate the food. We let her out. And as i walk this Place for the FirstTime, with my daughter, my granddaughter, my great granddaughter, my dog, there comes Puppy. Tiny. Coming. Coming Along. Like a puppy. and so it is. So She is. Puppy. Puppy Merced Hill.
Months have passed. Winter with it's Rain. Spring with the burgeoning of GREEN, and now, on into Summer. Where ever anyone is, Puppy is. Puppy is with the Goats. Puppy is with the chickens and then now with the last chicken. Puppy is with who ever arrives down at the Gate at A. If i happen to leave the door open, Puppy spends the night inside the Camper Trailer. Puppy is Everywhere. Puppy just goes. No guarantees. No forordained. And she is Everywhere.
