Dana

Dana noticed the small pie-shaped area of snow originating from the crack in his front door and radiating towards the living room as he entered his house. Champ ran to the kitchen to get a drink of water and give his dog bowl a sniff as he did every time he and Dana returned from an outing.



"I gotta remember to get some weatherstripping next time I go to the store" Dana said out loud as the dog returned "Hadn't I? Champy ole boy??" and he gave him a brisk rub on the muzzle



Dana walked over to his chair after hanging his coat and ball cap on their perspective hooks and sat down heavily. He always felt kind of lonesome when first returning home. Dana felt much better once he got involved in a TV program or a project or dozed off in his recliner. He did the latter more days than not. The house seemed much different when Maura was still living there. It even smelled different when she was around. Now the house smelled like Dana. Even in the dead of winter Dana would occasionally open up a window for 10 minutes or so just to introduce some new air to the situation and reduce the stagnant Dana smell. He doesn't remember the house ever getting stuffy when Maura was there.

Dana pointed the remote in the direction of the television. The screen illuminated with a middle-aged woman wearing too much make up and extra large hair. She was was trying to sell Dana a faux leather purse for three easy payments of $19.99. She ran her glamour length nail tipped fingers over the shiny synthetic plastic leather to further tantalize him. The old man rocked three times before gaining the momentum necessary to upright himself from the chair. Dana headed towards the kitchen and paused in the doorway, scanning the room before entering. The counter top was relatively uncluttered except for the electric percolator and the set of three canisters shaped like over-sized toadstools and glazed in earth tones. The labels of FLOUR, SUGAR and TEA were deceiving. The jars actually contained hard candy, chocolate and change. He had a bit of a sweet tooth despite the concerns of his doctor. Dana rubbed his hand over his flannel belly as he was reminded of the physician's request that he lose weight before his next check-up.

Dana opened the fridge door and peered inside. Nothing appealed to him. He would frequently have breakfast for supper but Dana was not in the mood for eggs and bacon or frozen waffles. He decided to skip supper all together and go straight to dessert. He reached into the SUGAR canister and removed a handful of mini Mr. Goodbars and Nestles Crunch bars and headed back to his recliner.

Dana had move to Albieville about twenty years ago after retiring from the Mass Telephone Company. He and his ex-wife had lived all their lives on Cape Cod, raised their daughter Mary and only decided to moved when he retired. Maine was less populated and life would be simpler there. Looking back now, moving may not have been the best idea but as they say, hindsight is 20/20. Who is to say his wife would not have left him if they stayed in Massachusetts?

"I know what you want, but you can't have any, buddy." Dana said as he slipped the first candy bar into his mouth. The woman with the hair and make up had moved on to a new product in his absence. The deal on the table was a set of multi-colored battery operated candles with crystalline holders for three easy payments of $12.99. Dana slipped another chocolate into his mouth as he reached for the remote.



"Bitch." he said under his breath as he changed the channel.