I saw something yesterday. Something I can’t forget. A woman. Walking. Briskly. It was a beautiful day. Sunny. Warm. Bright blue sky. And she was walking her little dog. A black and brown Chihuahua. Tricolor. That’s what they call it. My favorite Chihuahua color. And they looked so happy. Just the two of them. Walking, walking. The Chihuahua in a pretty pink harness and leash. Walking with purpose. Both of them. Like this is what they do. Every morning. Walk these streets. To the post office and back. Just the two of them. I don’t know. There’s something about a little dog walking briskly in a harness. Cheerful. That’s what it is. Like that woman. And her dog. Like the dogs on this page. The next page in this dog magazine. It’s another article. The last article in this issue. Harnesses. Leashes. Collars. How to choose the right one for your dog. Fascinating stuff. Well, it is. To me. Dog magazines. My addiction. They make me happy. Happiness. Mine. Something my ex-husband could never understand. Like that time he appeared in North Carolina. Just three weeks after I left him. And there he was. In Wilmington. Leaning against my car in the parking lot. At the beachwear store where I worked. Where I still work. Yeah. That was a shock. Seeing him. There. Something I never expected. At least. Not so soon. He had driven all the way from Missouri. Thought he could talk me into coming back. To Kansas City. To him. He was wrong. About me. As usual. “Darlene,” he said, “you can’t do this to me!” Oh, yes, I can. And I did. Mad? Yeah. He was. But here’s the thing. Happiness. That’s what I chose. When I left him. And it’s still my choice. Every day. Just like that woman. Walking her little Chihuahua. In its pretty pink outfit. Walking with purpose. Both of them. Enjoying the sunshine. The warmth. The blue skies. Enjoying life. Yeah. I really should get a dog.