a young couple came along as i was lifting mister onto the sea wall and the fellow said that's a beautiful dog, eyes shining behind his glasses. i think they were visiting. i think they would have liked to have a picture to bring home with mister on the wall of the becalmed inland sea. i almost thought of offering, but i didn't want to be weird. 
the other day i said to mister as he lay on his kitchen bed with his beloved silent squeaky bone, you don't feel anxious about life, at least not that i can see, unless for a moment when you fall coming up the stairs or momentarily lose track of me. that's how i would aspire to be, even if my life was as brief as a dog, i think, even if i can't be constitutionally happy, if i could be generally free of anxiety, i would be at peace, if i was at peace, then i would be happy for me.