Headlong, headless, heedless, asleep.

The woman understands me.

That man, he's just crazy.

*

But he takes me to the beach. And he lets me ride in the back of the truck even though I'm not supposed to. And he rubs my butt like I like.

*

He don't listen to me like the woman does, though. He leaves me sitting at the back door too long and won't get up in the middle of the night to let me out to pee.

She knows me. She knows when I'm hungry or sleepy or when it's time for walkies. She takes me to work, too.

*

She also sticks the camera in my face when I'm trying to take a damn nap!

***

There. I have defeated the sea.

*

The thing about the ocean is that it just doesn't know when it's been licked. I mean, you go there, there's all these waves- they just rush in and crash down, over and over, no matter how many times you get in there and rip them apart, they just keep coming.

It can wear a dog out.

It took me a while, but I finally got it done. The whole ocean got tired of me kickin' its butt and declared a truce.

I gave it a good long stare and everything was as still as a pond.

No need to turn back and check.

*

On to the next foe!