By day, Wade taught high-school mathematics, guiding restless teenagers through equations. By late afternoon, he returned to a wagging tail and bright eyes, ready for their shared escape into the woods. It was their tether to nature, a respite from life’s demands.
Each evening, the two set off into the forest, their steps in sync on trails flanked by soaring pines. Filtered golden light danced between branches, illuminating soft moss and wildflowers. Sometimes they saw deer darting through clearings, or hawks circling overhead.