I mean, he wasn't the first dog I'd loved. I'd given my virginity to a dog at fourteen and while I didn't think of myself as a slut or anything, I had... to admit I'd had a lot of canine lovers. About a dozen different dogs altogether, while I was growing up mostly, and my first couple years of college. My third year I'd gotten Shadow and pretty much remained faithful to him, with just a couple one night stands, so to speak. I was more mature now, but when I'd been younger, especially like fifteen. "'You're the only one who can. Get back on your path and finish what you started.'"I can't do it alone."'You aren't alone. You were never alone, you just thought you were. Open your eyes, boy and take a good look around sometime.'"I screwed up, Granddad. I really screwed up."'Yeah. That's life for you; one screw up after another. But every new day is a chance to set things right. Don't let things stay screwed up.'I couldn't run anymore. I started walking. Head up, eyes open. Morning stepped. Mel, being the youngest and the prettiest of our party, got all the attention from the sharp witted Japanese chef who tended our table. She proved an equal tease back at him, and lauded his culinary skills as he flipped various parts of our meals six feet in the air and caught them on a spatula behind his back.We bid our companions goodnight, and headed back to the Four Seasons Hotel for the night. The limousine ride was quick, and I spoke mostly with how impressed I was with everything that. "He eventually began to have affairs, especially when he was away on business. As late as six months ago, I was sure that he had been banging his secretary regularly. One time, ten years ago, he even gave me gonorrhea that he had picked up from some street whore in New Orleans. I was so humiliated when I was diagnosed with it by my doctor. When I confronted George, he denied having giving it to me and even accused me of getting it from some black man I might have picked up in a bar while he was.