Deer by the Dozen

Thin swirls of fog twist about my ankles as I hustle after Sugar, seeking the perfect clump of thick green grass to deposit her morning duty. The dull gray sky seems reticent to start another day, preferring to delay the sun rising as long as possible. Sugar takes her sweet time investigate, snuffling about, tracing back and forth while I pull my collar up against the chill of spring.

Little hints of green buds threaten to appear on the nearby bush while the daffodils beneath its spreading boughs crumple, their magnificent colors now fading into rust, their sturdy horns now papery thin and spent. Hurry Sugar. I am getting a chill. But she does not hurry any more than summer, wandering about and refusing to get down to business. I walk forward, clicking with my tongue in hopes she will get the hint. She resists, tugging at the leash to smell just one more clump of grass.

I am growing irritated. I do not wish to be late for my appointment and I still need to feed Sugar. Come on. I tug her leash, walking forward with resolution, my head turned to look back at where she is dawdling. As I turn my face forward, I gasp and stand stock still in awe. There ahead of me in the side yard of the building across the street, right near a small wooded area, bound a dozen deer, their brown, white and black tails flopping about freely as they stretch their necks to pluck tasty buds from the bushes and succulent grass coated in dew from the ground.

They are young and careless, cavorting about heedless of danger, reckless in their play. I hold my breath for fear they will catch my scent and disappear, but they seem not to care. Sugar has spotted them. She too stands completely motionless, a low growl coming from deep within her small body. She is on point, unwavering, waiting while the unmindful deer carry on fearlessly. We are only yards away. I can almost feel their hot breath which escapes their noses in cloudy steamy vapor rising into the predawn gray.

For a long magical moment we share the space, not interacting, but surely being moved by each others' presence. They leap and prance, filled with energy, reacting to the cold wet grass. I almost expect to see Santa's sleigh appear! Suddenly a car turns down the drive and without a sound, almost without motion, they disappear as one, slipping between the trees into another world where they cannot be seen.

I blink. Did I really see them? Sugar begins to whine and pace about. We head towards home, deeply affected by our gentle neighbors. Ah, deer! I hope we meet again.