Miles the Dog

My brother told me the saddest story.

Miles is a middle-aged overweight dog. He is so overweight that his legs can't support him; one of his legs, strained by the extra pressure, has had to undergo surgery about five times. What with the weight and the messed up leg, Miles has difficulty going up and down the stairs.

Nevertheless, Miles, like so many dogs, has a lot of love to give. He likes to visit the boarders who live upstairs. Often, he can't, and he'll sit at the foot of the stairs and cry. Other times, when he's feeling a little stronger, he triumphs: Miles climbs the stairs and visits his friends.

One day, there was an enormous thud and crash that resounded through the house. "What was that?" asked the houseguest, startled.

"Oh, nothing. That's just Miles falling down the stairs."

Poor Miles! His leg had spazzed out mid-flight, and sent him a-tumbling.