The Chase

The dog chases a squirrel. The squirrel sprints away, darting left and right to escape the pursuit of the four-legged demon behind it. I’ve never seen a dog catch a squirrel before. I’ve only ever seen the chase. But I think the smaller creature is hurt, for soon its adrenaline isn’t enough to push it forward, and it slows. The dog stops short of the small creature and stares at it perplexed. 

It hits me then; the dog knows no more than I do what happens when he catches the squirrel. Dreams spent chasing this small animal, always waking right as he is about to pounce, and he never discovered what to do next. Years of domestication and squeaky toys have not prepared him for this confrontation. What will he chase tomorrow, if he catches his dreams today?