Lost balls

The April snow and hail showers have stopped and Spring seems desperate to peek through. The dog park is undergoing a transformation. The wet sloppy field is giving way to lush green grass which is growing tall and thick. This is the time of year that the tennis balls go missing.

I try to buy Gracie the bright orange and blue Chuck It or fluorescent green tennis balls so that I can find them when she loses interest and "accidentally" leaves them behind. But even at that we frequently lose a ball this time of year.

One day soon the city will come out and mow the field. Dogs will then discover the eviscerated carcasses of long lost tennis balls lying in the field. It will look like the long shot of the confederate soldiers lying in the train station from the movie Gone With the Wind. Softly, in the background - or your imagination - you'll hear the soft sounds of Taps being played.