564 Congress St. Portland ME (207) 805-1348 • thesockshack.com Fabulous Socks for Men, Women, & Kids 302 P r t L a n d montHL maga ine out and scratched Scruffy’s mangy ruff, and thought of that old joke about the starving man who eats his trusty dog, picking the bones clean. The punch line: Poor old Rover sure would have loved those bones. T he lightning crackled. “Lois,” I said, “I am moving out. But you and Scruffy will be fine. And, Lois,” I added, “Scruffy is dead. Stuffed. Stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey.” For a moment, just the briefest moment, Lois looked struck, struck dumb, lightning struck. Then she resumed the ventriloquist act. “Scruffy says you’re a total loser.” “No soap radio,” I said. “What?” Scruffy asked. “No soap radio. Har har har. Trial by fire. Did you hear the one about the dog who chewed on his own bones? So I am walking around and I meet a dog named Rover. When I was a kid we used to play Red Rover at the foster home. Weird name foster home; they do not foster a thing ex- cept resentment. Rover was not a shaggy dog. Fur sleek as a seal. I saw a seal once at the zoo. I made that up. Actually I have never been to a zoo. I went to a fair once. But I digress,” I said. Scruffy stared glassily. “GRR,” he said, “and you are still a loser.” I nodded, then headed for the door, thinking that Lois and I were finally not dissimilar, both transformed, disfigured by grief and resurrected by it. “Bye, Lois,” I said. I glanced at Scruffy, good ole Scruff, but I did not bid Scruffy farewell. As I closed the door, Scruffy growled and said, “And never come back here, los- er.” The door clicked. I walked with no clear direction where I was headed. Maybe Pastor Pete would let me throw down a pallet on the food pantry floor. Maybe not. A complete unknown like a rolling stone. I walked just walked to the rhythm of this refrain in my head. From grief we turn away; to grief we return. And somewhere in the woods a sing- ing bone. And very very quietly Scruffy bounded down the street. ■ oan onnor is a pro essor at hio niversity. he has published our collections o short stories and a collection o essays.