Paul thought it better
to be a victim than an executioner.
He thought the quality
of his coworkers improved in that scenario.
Also, he might meet the requirements
of conscientious objector in times of war.
Whether he would fight or not
depended on location, location, location.
If his home hosted the war—yes.
If it was an away war—no.
Paul stared into the orange peel
that remained after eating the fruit segments.
His dog sat next to Paul
after Paul ate the last orange segment.
His dog saw a squirrel low in a tree.
He remained by Paul.
copyright © 2023 Kenneth P. Gurney
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