I’d always taken denial somewhat literally. When I’d think of denial, I’d think of someone consciously rejecting the truth. Someone making a concerted effort to pretend something.

That’s what my sister called him. She’d brought him with her to San Francisco from Savannah when she moved in 2001, and for as long as I can remember, that’s been her name for him.

Taken while driving up to Portland from San Francisco with my sister. One of the things I love most about dogs (on top of everything else) is how easy-to-please they are. A little food, a little love, and some head scritches are all they need to be happy. You’d think it would be that easy [...]