Snow Sidewalks

I never thought about sidewalks and snow until I had a dog to walk. For the typical no-snow, nighttime, winter trip out, I slip on whatever shoes lay by the kitchen door, grab a coat, a leash and Tequila--the dog, of course. She trots out to sniff delightedly at secret dog messages that mark her path and eventually does her duty. I follow along, gazing at stars and wondering why some neighbors never close the drapes, while others never open them. Snow changes everything. Even as the first flakes fall, some sidewalks are shoveled; other sidewalks are not and within a few days, these turn into lethal ice patches. All of which compells me to put on snow boots to traipse through a mishmash of shoveled and unshoveled paths. Worrying about undignified slips and wrist-breaking falls cuts into my star-gazing and neighbor-watching. Tequila still sniffs and does her business, though keep in mind she has four feet and is much closer to the ground. If I were a better person, I would pick up after Tequila  no matter what. But I'm more selective. The spring thaw will yield a few surprises along the unshoveled stretches. Tequila is a tiny thing, so the gifts will likely go unnoticed. But I will know and that is good enough.