The bone is big, more than eighteen inches long.  Isabella–

wolf, German shepherd, blue heeler, 80 pounds, lies in cool,

emerald, native grass, gnawing.  What kind is it?  From where?

Half hour hiking cross canyon, through junipers, tall grass, searching.

Nothing.

One week later, while driving through the gate, I see the neighbor’s

black lab gnawing on identical bone.  Surprised, puzzled, I wonder

if it’s the same bone.  After running the eighth mile back to my house,

I find the old bone, three pieces scattered in the grass.  Not the same.

Neighbor tells me he hiked, searched.

Nothing.

no dead animal smell

meat scraps stuck to bone

we will never know