3
Elijah
I didn’t see the car coming, but River did.
The morning began normally enough. Our daily walk around the neighborhood was always a source of joy. The sun warmed my skin, penetrating deep into my bones as I stood still with my face to the sky. Today there was a gentle breeze, cool but floral with the promise of spring, and it complemented the sun’s rays beautifully. I caught sweet notes of budding trees, and flowers coming out from beneath the thawed earth.
Winter had been difficult. Made both of us stir-crazy to the point where we paced around the house just to dosomething.I’d needed to get outside like this, or I might have lost my mind.
Thankfully, winter was now a fading memory, except for the wet, soppy remains of slush on the city sidewalks. I stepped in many melted puddles, which splashed up the side of my ankles, but I didn’t let it bother me. It was just too nice a day to be annoyed over something like that.
Since it was the first nice day after a string of bitter cold, many people were out and about, just like we were. The streets buzzed with human chatter and birdsong, shop doors opening and closing with their bells, and cars whizzing by and honking with impatience.
But even if there was a crowd, it wasn’t a problem. River navigated through the streets like a pro.
Until we reached a curb.
I punched for the crosswalk button and waited for the chirping sound that indicated it was safe to cross.
“Forward,” I told River.
But he didn’t budge.
“River, forward.”
Still, he wouldn’t move an inch.
Great,I thought.I’m blind, and now my dog’s deaf.
I jostled the handle of his harness, urging him to get a move on, but he stayed solid with four legs planted on the ground like anchors.
River was trained in intelligent disobedience, meaning he should deliberately ignore my commands if a danger was present in the environment. But when I listened for the sound of cars approaching, I didn’t hear any. At least, nothing that told me a car was immediately in the way. It sounded completely safe.
The crosswalk continued to chirp.
“River, forward,” I told him again. “Come on.”
Frustrated and not knowing why he wouldn’t move, I took a step ahead of him.
River instantly backed up, forcing me back with him and directly disobeying me.
I opened my mouth to scold him when something huge roared by and splashed me with a spray of slush. I registered a moment later in shock that it was a car dangerously close to the curb.
It had been so quiet. Dangerously quiet. Probably one of those fucking electric cars that barely made any noise.
My heart raced and I stood there with my fingers in a death grip on River’s harness handle. I took a few steps back from the curb to regain my composure.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” a woman’s voice called.
At the same time, a child piped up. “Wow, that was so cool!”
Rapid footsteps signalled their approach.
“Sir, are you okay?” the woman asked again.
“Yes,” I replied as my heart calmed down. “Just a bit wet.”
She sighed in relief. “Thank goodness. I - I saw the car, and I thought about warning you, but I didn’t want to impose . . . ”
