The White Wolf loves the snow. Tonight was our first real snowfall. The city was strangely subdued, as tranquil as the traffic was light. The one inch of colder snow that covered the earlier slush felt almost like sawdust. The millions of flakes sparkled in the many different colored lights pretending daylight with all the white to reflect off.
Aloofus hasn't come in to sleep since the weekend when the rains stopped and the temperature plummeted. He loves the below freezing stuff. His coat stays in good shape if he stays out. I can't get him to come in at all, so there is no point in trying. He is wild at the core and doesn't like being confined. It still makes me shake my head at the time the SPCA left a warning on my door about him not having adequate shelter, because he was tied under a tree in a rain shower, during August. Give someone a uniform and they know it all, I guess.
We strolled to Trout Lake in the falling snow. He is in such prime shape, running, playing in the snow like a young dog, although he will soon be six. Aloofus lives to be off leash. Then he puts distance between us; around 50 to 150 meters in the park. Off on the marking, sniffing and investigatory Wolf's job, while I walk lost in my own thoughts. I never have to keep my eyes on him. He never looses me.
At the south east end of the lake, he stopped in his tracks, looking up a few seconds before a flock of whistling ducks came in low between us. We stood silent as they began to glide on final. They came, a chorus of peeps, in two waves and landed in a soft splashing noise just hidden by some bushes.
For Aloofus and I, it was a wonderful, rare, winter wonderland experience. The lack of traffic was so special. Two young men walking up Commercial on the West side going south just by 11,th stopped to chat briefly. They were gorging on Uncle Fatih's Pizza: 2 large well built tasty slices plus a pop, $4.00 (Commercial Drive and Broadway NW corner). They were friendly as most people are in this town and were also thrilled there was not much traffic. I gave them my website info and hopefully have some more customers. I like dealing with happy, outgoing fun people as much as possible and they look like they type that would be friends as well as clients. The shorter one introduced himself as Chris after we had parted, striking me how one sided I have become in my introductions. This surely is because of my recent campaigning stint and must be curbed, If I don't wish to be disregarded myself. What goes around comes around.
When we came back to our home park China Creek Park at the North West end, just behind the fence was someone camped in a fairly large domed tent. I stepped close and heard the subdued roar of a small gas heater. There were no other homeless which Al and I came across tonight, other than this tent. I see he has been here for several days now. Yard bags full of bottles and cans were close to his cold home. It looked like he had made more than me today. I had very few clients and nobody has money. The economy is effecting all of us. I do sell to my customers in small amounts if that is all they have. Someone has to serve this niche market. I'm so glad most don't drink. Those that do don't buy much pot. These things cost too much money in this economy. Pot is non addictive and so when they are out it is no big deal. The truth is that I could go without pot but the computer would hurt if it blew up again. If I couldn't write, I'd be Jonesin', like the worst junkie.
Al just loves our outings. To be with a Wolf is so special. My heart is so filled with the treasure of our moments that I want for not. The money will come. It always does! I've got this writer's monkey on my back. It owes me some thing for all the abuse I'm put through, chained to the keyboard. One can only be patient, not expect anything, and grab on to the moments of joy as they go by.
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