Spring was stirring . The daffodils bobbed their sprightly yellow silhouettes in the March breeze. John hardly noticed as he strolled with his beloved Jasper.

With Jasper by his side he could avoid engaging with any of the other strollers in his local Mardyke park, outside of London. Jasper was his refuge. Fancy telling anyone that your best friend was a great big tawny ,rescue Labrador. That's how it was since Marge died.

Marge got the rescue dog a few years earlier. John mused over how he didn't want a dog or any animal. He didn't want to have to clean up any doggie mess. Marge waited until the last of their two children left home.

John remembered what she said the day she went to collect Jasper.

"John , " she whispered ,"finally it's my turn to indulge my fancies ".

John was jolted out of his reverie by the arrival of another tawny Labrador sniffing and circling around Jasper. John wasn't sure whether to get angry or just pretend to be indifferent.

John couldn't see an owner anywhere. So he decided to make friends with this newly arrived canine. The two animals nuzzled and circled each other like long lost friends.

John now had two dogs in tow. He was ill-at-ease. How would he extricate himself from this entanglement?

Just then he heard shouts of " Brandy, Brandy come here, you naughty boy", it seemed to come from behind him.

John hesitated, pretending to check Jasper's collar. He looked up to find a woman with long, flowing purple hair standing next to him.

"I'm so sorry if Brandy is bothering you. Brandy's such a spoiled old guy. He loves to make new friends", intoned the lady with the purple hair.

John was speechless for a moment as he took in the long, flowing purple locks with hints of grey at the temples. He felt very plain and uninteresting alongside her.

" Labradors love each other very much," she continued.

Still ill at ease , John tried to compose himself.

Stretching out his right hand, he murmured, "Pleased to meet you eh..John's the name.."

"Muriel, Muriel Sparks, I run the local animal rescue centre," she said.

" I remember a few years ago a lovely lady called Marge coming to the centre and leaving with a dog exactly like yours, with a slightly dark patch over the left eye", Muriel continued.

John shuffled nervously, "Nice to meet you Muriel," John said, almost in a whisper.

Muriel seemed to notice his discomfiture.

" Have you always loved animals, John? We are always looking for volunteers at the Centre. Maybe you'd like to come and help out ?"

By now Brandy had taken off at a trot. Muriel ran to catch up.

John searched in his pocket for his phone and googled 'Animal rescue'.

It was time to finally shake off the cobwebs of grief.