Doggie Dukie

I heard him before I saw him in the darkness - a muscular young man, about 22 years old, running south down the sidewalk towards City College. Despite his muscular build, his panting breath revealed a lack of conditioning - he was spending too much time with the weights and not enough time on the track. His pants also revealed the alcohol in his system.

"What's that?" he said, as he pointed at the pooper scooper in my right hand. "Is that a doggie dukie?" I shook his beefy, sweaty hand. "Name's Mike," he said. "I love dogs, and - is that him?" At that moment he saw Sparky, who had been snuffling in the darkness at the base of a palm tree. "I just love dogs - got one of my own - they are just the best!" Then he ran away, southbound again, panting hard through the night, homeward bound, where a dog waited for his master....