What do you think it means when your dog just sits and stares at a corner of the room, up near the ceiling?

Or when he cries and cocks his head toward the closet door, but when you open it up … there’s nothing there?

And what do you think it means when he wakes you up in the middle of the night, scratching at the floor … whining, twisting his neck in strange contortions?

Is he hearing some faraway hum, or did he just get spooked by a shadow or flash of light from outside? Maybe car headlights playing off the wall, passing through before you even notice?

Or, is something else passing through that you don’t notice?

And … what about when you come home from work and find your dog sitting in front of the television, watching … even though the set is turned off?

What do you think that means?

Maybe he turned it off just before you walked through the door. Or maybe something else did.

Probably, it’s nothing, though. Right? Just a dog being a dog, hearing the rumble of thunder miles away or the neighbor’s garage door opening  or the buzz along the phone line.

Probably.

But then, what do you think it means when he comes over to the corner where I’m floating, watching, and his ears flop around in an unnatural motion, like someone is scratching behind them?

Could it mean that he reminds me of a dog I had when I lived in this house? And that he recognizes me, somehow?

It could. It might.

Whatever it means, I’m enjoying the company after so many years of dark loneliness. Your oblivion is much appreciated.