Elmer

I got Elmer when my husband passed. A friend said I needed “something to keep me moving.” He was stubborn. Wouldn’t cross the stream no matter what I did. Brayed at 6 a.m. sharp every day like clockwork. But he had the gentlest eyes. I used to sit out front with him munching nearby. I talked. He chewed. It worked. He liked kids. He’d lean his big head down so the grandkids could pet him. Once, he stole a jam sandwich right out of Sam’s hand. Last winter was hard on him. The cold made his joints stiff. I tried blankets, heat lamps. Still, he started fading. When he laid down and didn’t get back up, I knew that was it. He was stubborn, yes. But he never let me feel alone.