The doorway to the apartment building
is hollowed out, the glass cleaned up,
the debris swept away.
Mrs. Hershkowitz leans out her window
as soon as she sees me.
ETAN! CAN YOU TAKE BUDDY TO THE PARK?
HE’S GOTTA GO, BAD!
My father doubles over in laughter.
Right now? I think.
Just when my mom
is so close.
But I have to help.
Okay, I yell.
THANK YOU.
And she lowers Buddy down,
tongue flapping.
When he’s almost at the bottom,
he leaps out onto me.
I reach into the basket,
take out the plastic bag inside,
hook on his leash.
Go on, my father says,
we’ll be upstairs
when you get back.