Dad and Rusty

We scattered to the winds
when we saw him drive up;
two boys out the back gate on bikes,
two sisters disappeared into the
play house in the back yard.
No one was left in the living room
when he walked in for his visitation rights,
except the dog.
Rusty wagged his tail furiously
and jumped up to greet Father,
completely oblivious to the stern look
on his face, the disapproving look at
school bags strewn onto the furniture,
his muttering about the loose discipline
in this house, the lack of order,
the absence of his children who
should be there waiting for him.
Rusty wagged his tail regardless
of all that; many years later I heard
the pain in his voice as he described
how it felt that only Rusty was
happy to see him .

photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/pavlicko/2811411884/