November 9, 2021

Lost Shih Tzu on Glendale Street **

Word’s spread fast—the darling of the neighborhood’s disappeared, one minute
chasing leaves in the backyard, and the next, who knows where in this not-so-sleepy
suburban town. A truck could easily have rumbled through, the dog squeezing herself
between fence posts—we shudder to think of all the angles to a narrative with no visible
conclusion. The troops have rallied behind this fluffy creature, taping up her photograph
on telephone poles, scouring treehouses and tool sheds, knocking on a litany of doors.
I, too, am rooting for reunion, but I can’t help thinking of the milk cartons of my youth,
faces like a prison lineup on the wax coating, and the word “Missing” in a threateningly
bold font. Did they ever get found, those kids? And what of their distraught, insomniac
parents? Are we still knocking on their doors, asking What can I do to help?

** I borrowed this title from a listing on the Northern NJ edition of nextdoor.com.