Before summer was over I had rekindled an affair with an old lover, Leanna DeVinn. We had met each other in college and quickly became lovers, though an eventual breakup had occurred the semester prior to my graduation. She had elected to spend that semester studying in England and I did my best to convince myself that it was over between us.

***

I was calling her by the beginning of July on the premise of just being friends, but we both knew it was likely more than that. It all began with her visit to State College. Me and Motor Puppy sat on the stone wall that bordered Penn State campus. The traffic pulsed by, hindered only by the changes of the stop lights. Then I saw her. She was walking along the stone wall to the spot where we said we'd meet. I believe she saw me and I couldn't help but think that she almost seemed as though she wanted to turn around. Like she was approaching something bad. I looked down at my innocent dog and my hands and my feet, questioning at the last moment, my motivations. I could only decide that I was doing that which I wished. How I wished to hold Leanna again!

She was close enough that our eyes met and I walked to her. The we embraced like persons who have seen much together. My dog jumping up on us irreverently.

"Awh, come on Motor. You can't jump on people like that." I looked back at Leanna. "This is my dog Leanna, Motor Puppy."

She stooped over to pet him. "He's cute Peter. Where'd you get him?"

"At the pound." Then the pause inserted itself and someone had to spill their guts and I knew it wasn't going to be Leanna. She was not the one who called me out of the blue. No, indeed I was the one who instigated this and I had to explain, right now, how I felt.

"It's really great to see you Leanna. How is your summer going?"

"Fine Peter. I am interning for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It's interesting and much better that working in a mall holding up some shirt to some lady and saying My how that looks marvelous on you'. What have you been up to? Meeting plenty of college women I'd Imagine."

I heard a hint of jealousy in her tone, providing hope that she may still be interested in a man with no future.

"Well, I have partied with some students who remained in town over the summer, but most of them were mindless sports types wearing the right clothes and talking about predictable things. Usually that's when I'd start thinking about you." So there I had said it. It was true. I was thinking of Leanna constantly. Whether perched on a ladder painting a barn or laying in the grass on my back outside a fraternity party listening to their vapid music. Now I spoke those words which so easily lead to further commitment and complications without care. At that point in time, I believed them. "I guess I just didn't know how good I had it with you. I'm sorry I screwed up."

She put her hand on my leg, more like my knee. "Peter don't think I wasn't questioning my actions the whole way up here. Over and over I was saying to myself What are you thinking girl? You're just going to get hurt again. Peter doesn't know what he want yet.' But I kept driving Peter because I knew I had to see you. I knew I didn't have a choice. I've missed you."

We got up and walked around town, bought ice cream, and that night slept in our pajamas beside each other on my foam mattress, Motor Puppy by our side.

***

In the middle of the night I was stirred out of sleep by a stench so bad that my eyes had already been watering. Everyone else in the attic was still asleep and Motor Puppy was gone.

"What the hell is that?" I thought. It smelled like someone took the wickedest dump right on my chest. I looked down to check there, but my t-shirt was clean. "This is real nice. Leanna's first night here and it smells like a sewage treatment plant."

I crept downstairs to the first floor. Our female roommate evidently was still out partying at some frat. Her door was ajar and the bed still made. Around the corner was the living room. The glow of the street light filled the room. I could see Motor Puppy on the rug, looking helplessly at me and shaking. The smell was stronger and I could hardly take it. Of course it must have been Motor. He must have left a pile somewhere in the room. I scanned the area quickly, but could see nothing out of place. Just the furniture, a magazine, and a pillow on the floor. I walked into the kitchen and turned the light on, calling to Motor so I could inspect him further. He crept into the kitchen guiltily.

"What's the matter, bud?" I asked him, but expected no response. I ran my hands over him, but could find no crap anywhere. "Jesus, where the hell is it?" I was in a panic at that point and rushed back into into the living room and threw on the lights. Then, what I had previously thought was a pillow was instantly revealed to me as a rather large heap of dog shit. So large that I actually thought it was a couch pillow. "Oh, god Motor." I ran back to the kitchen and let the dog out. He bolted to the nearest thing resembling a bush. I cleaned the mess up with some paper plates, gagged strongly twice, and opened the windows. Motor crept back in from outside and curled up in the livingroom. "Wow" I thought as I slid back into bed beside Leanna.