He didn't know what to say. He was hoping that the PO Box man would say hello first so that he wouldn't need to. But the man kept playing with Todd instead. Todd was so happy that PT thought the man had given him treats. But actually he was just petting the

dog

.

"Good boy. Good boy," he said soft. PT kept waiting for the man to acknowledge him but he continued to pet his dog instead. Eventually PT nervously spit out the words, "thanks for finding him."

As the man's face lifted up his smile turned into a neutral stare.

"Find. Him." the words drifted into the air so far apart that each felt like its own sentence.

PT tried thinking of a reply, came up blank, then felt sweat begin to form under his arms. He desperately waited for the mysterious man to say something else.

The gust flew between them. PT and the man with Todd.

"So you think I found him?"

"Well you're together I mean."

"You think that we are together because I found him, then?" his face was still

neutral

.

"Well you know what I mean. Nevermind... Where was he?"

The man's face changed slightly, like he was acknowledging PT's frustration.

"I'm sorry, but I think you're still mistaken. You are speaking as if this dog is some object and I happened to find it."

PT rotated his shoulders a bit trying to keep his

sweat

from pooling. 

"You do realize that this dog can move and make his own decisions?" the face now turned into a grin.

"Well thank you anyway. You won't have to worry about him anymore. I'll take it from here," PT didn't  believe his own words.

The man lifted his hands to reveal that his palms were grabbing no leash.

"Come here, Todd." PT said. Todd didn't budge. "Come on, boy. Good boy come on."

Todd whimpered and looked up at the PO Box man.

"Well... I have plans so I'm going to get going. Nice running into you again, stranger." said the man as he walked towards PT. Todd followed him and PT thought about grabbing Todd but didn't as the two of them walked past him and left the woods from the way he had come in.

In the near distance he could hear the man's laughter and Todd's happy panting.