Grey On White

Nothing whatever reserved about that
tiny creature.  She was happily outgoing,
so at ease, that diminutive canine companion
of the elderly woman that she was not at all lost
in her absence, among a crowd of people.
Her bright eyes alive with curiosity darted
everywhere that activity piqued her attention.

Not, in fact, much happening, other than a
slow succession of mostly grey heads and
greybeards arriving for their pre-surgery
appointments at their community hospital;
not inclined, under the circumstances, to
good cheer singly nor among themselves.

Yet the sight of the sweetly animated,
grey-haired dog, placidly seated among
strangers, so alive to its gregariously-
accepting instincts, gave the gift of laughter
to those assembled, awaiting the tedium of
the pre-operative protocol, where blood
pressure would be monitored, X-rays
ordered, blood tested, innumerable questions
fielded in preparation of a life event as
difficult to absorb as it was to deny.

Worried self-concern was transformed
to quiet observation as smiles swept creased
grey faces formerly distracted by miserable
thoughts weighted with fear of the unknown.
The nurses moved among the decrepit throng
with clean and tidy efficiency, tossing coy
comments to the tiny toy poodle, scrambling
someone's coat into a semblance of comfort,
lightening everyone's palpably dark mood.

The little dog submitted to pats, smoothing
its beribboned topknot, gave calm attention
to peoples' nods, smiles and conversations,
constraints of strangers suddenly eased by
its calming presence.  It dozed in people's
willing warm laps alternately to gracefully
straining its minuscule presence to arch forward
in rapt interest, missing nothing whatever.

Certainly not the arrival of a frail, barely
ambulatory figure, inspection and instruction
both completed; that of its beloved mistress,
as the poodle's adoring fixation on the figure
demonstrated, while it leaped toward the
outstretched arms.  In pure reciprocal
loving embrace, the little grey head resting in
close communion against the wizened white head.