Orion jumps out of the car. The cold air hits my face and I take a sharp intake of breath. I purposely left my winter coat in Ohio with the intent of picking up a new one in the no-sales tax world of New Hampshire. I'm very conscious of this poor decision as the 9:30 hour leaves Western Vermont anything but the warm 70 I left in Ohio. Orion? Phased? Hardly. He's out running as if his life depends on it across the empty college campus fields. Butt tucked, ears flopping, he couldn't be happier. He leaps like a bunny rabbit over the seven inches of snow. We have missed snow in Ohio with the mild winter, but here, Orion is up to his mid thigh and dips his head to shovel it through the light powder.
Thirteen hours in the car has translated nicely into numerous dog paths in the snow.
"Are you sure he can run around and no one will care?" I ask my travel buddy's old friend.
"Oh, we're starving for pets around here."
I watch as Orion flies across the field plowing into a girl hovering inside the inlay of a building.
"Oooh!" I hear a delighted voice embrace his exuberance, though I suspect she does not get the full chance to pet and drool over my cute dog because he's back flying towards me.
"Okay okay Orion! Come!"
He comes flying towards me, ears plastered back to his head with his speed. I laugh, scoop him up enough to catch his collar and hook a leash on him before a red head comes jogging out of the dorm towards us, "Oh puppy!" She quickly squats down, wiggling his ears and Orion reverts to his most charming self, licking her face, wiggling his butt. "This is my birthday present," she says and I let her soak in the dog pats and kisses before we turn to follow our friend into her own dorm.
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