Jules

His right front paw curled up unnaturally
He seemed to stare somewhere into an ethereal place
A space unbeknownst to anyone but him
He begins to quiver and shake
He was being held in my wife’s arms
when first I noticed his eyes
seemingly reaching deep into this space
Then his head rested limply on my wife’s shoulder
I knew in the depths of my soul
where my human emotions rest
that something was not right with Jules

I pulled him from her arms
gathering him closely to my chest
Trying to calm his quivering body
letting him know I was there
My gut was wrenched
Tears came quickly running down my face
He’s only nine was all I could think
Please your too young
I held him tighter
I’m sure he could feel my heart beat
Soon his body ceased from shaking
His eyes no longer staring into an abyss
He looks at me and with a gentle
soft stroke of his small tongue
he licked my cheek tasting my saline tears
For now all is well but time
for both of us is so much more salient.