Zeb arose and carefully fixed three small bowls of food for his pets, and then in turn, with each pet knowing when it was their turn, he sat on the floor and brushed them down, checked for cockleburs and the such. Zeb did this every morning then he would take the two dogs for a brisk half-hour to forty-five minute walk. And on the way home he would stop off by Pearson's field and feed that silly old mule an ear of corn. Yes, Zeb kept a sack of corn so he could feed Ole Puddin head the mule an ear each day.

And as he walked, he said to himself, "Me write about love, shucks me and love parted ways 40 years ago."