I don’t know you – nor you me

we meet by accident by routine

you tell me your story

you walk with me – take my path

a farther walk

to tell it – the story – in full detail

I hear the detail

I imagine where you have been – when I don’t know it

I relive it – when I do

I follow your story without intrusion emotion reaction

I hope

The story – of a descent into chaos

a state where not any of the ordinary rules – not one

applies

and in this state

this chaos

on top of it all

your young dog attacks your old dog

viciously

you now mistrust her – the dog

or perhaps

your own faith in your judgement

But this sorry story is more than dogs

the dogs just cap it all off

for you

a summation of a period of time

where nothing is what it seems

As you walk beside me

I observe your pace and in fact

I find

that I walk

beside you

Your breathing changes – is it the incline?

and although a stranger

I dare to place my hand on the middle of your back

and hope

hope

that you can make sense of this sorry mess soon