My dog is sleeping with his eyes half open. He is sunken into a pillow, body curled into a tear drop with his feet clasped near his nose like a diver. His lean muscles twitch and his toes flex independently, adjusting to the topography of a dream, carrying him through it.
I reach out and cup his cheek with my left hand. His blunt, serrated lips are hot against my palm and I realize this is because my hand is very cold. His lashes flutter and his round dog eyes roll back down out of his skull where they've been resting, all glazed and sleep slow until I can see more gold than white. His pupils expand and flit quickly over my face with sudden acuity. We hold eye contact for a fraction of a breath before he returns to his slumber, satisfied.
I stare. I want to ask to the creature who has judged my worth in seconds and lies sleeping with its warm face in my palm to explain itself - What is it? What did you see? Where did you find it? - but I type "why are dog gums bumpy" into the search bar instead.
