The Cardinal

As I walked outside, the deep feeling
Of sadness had yet to leave me. Saikusu, James… my puppy.
Gone.
How had I allowed this to happen?
No… I could do nothing to stop this.
No one could.
I felt the need to cry, but held my tears back.
As I walked around outside, I passed under a tree.
The first of its leaves had already begun to fall.
I thought to myself. Maybe James was in the trees
I held my hand out.
"Are you my James?"
The leaf fluttered past my hand and into the dirt.
I looked and frowned.
"You aren't my James. He would have taken my hand."

I walked on, past the tree.

The wind began to blow harshly.
I thought to myself.  Maybe James is in the wind?
"Are you my James?"
The wind blew harder, pushing me to and fro.
I frowned and sighed
"You aren't my James. He would have wrapped his arms lovingly around me."

I took shelter until the wind had calmed. Then walked on.

I looked on a gate of a house nearby. On it sat a cardinal.
I thought of what James had said to me
Only days before his death.
"When ever you see a cardinal, think and remember me."
I held my hand out to the cardinal.
"Are you my James?"
The cardinal took flight and landed in my hand.
I looked and smiled.
"I have found you at last. Will you walk with me, till I get home?"
I walked with the cardinal cradled in my hands.
As I arrived home, it took flight.
"Goodbye My James. Come back and visit me."

And the cardinal came back to walk with me everytime.