“You can’t let your dog run around the neighborhood unleashed!” he yelled as he stopped dead in his tracks, a big dog rushing towards him, barking.

“He’s just a puppy! He won’t bite!” the man responded at the top of his voice, running to catch his dog.

“Nonetheless!” he yelled back, his whole body tightening in fear. His eyes narrowed while the dog circled him, sniffing and growling.

Just as the dog was about to lunge at his face, a young boy rushed out of the man’s house calling the dog’s name. The dog stood still and glared at him, ignoring the boy’s call. It then ran in all directions, avoiding the boy and the man.

After what seemed to be a terrifying eternity, the boy was able to direct the dog back to their house, four doors down from him.

Now feeling relieved, he resumed his walk. The man tried to stride alongside him, apologizing for what happened and trying to be friendly. But he didn’t want any of it. He was too upset to even listen to what the man was saying. Instead, he tried to check the playlist on his iPhone, the man retreating to his house in silence.

It was not what he expected to start his adventure to the Dunkin Donuts, 2 miles away. The day, Hot Cross Buns Day, had him hankering for sweets and the blueberry bagels in his freezer were not sweet enough.

He increased his gait to match the tempo of the song on his iPhone, all excited about indulging his sweet tooth.

“You don’t have a mask with you. How are you going to order inside the store?” he slowed down to ask himself.

“Well, I’ll just walk up to the drive-thru kiosk and give my order!” he mused, nodding his head.

The sun was about one-third up on the eastern horizon as he was nearing the Dunkin Donuts. The sunrays increased not only the feel-good serotonin level in his brain but also the bodily warmth from his fast walk, his dark shades making everything around him more distinct and the colors more intense.

He waited at a discreet spot until the last car disappeared from the drive-thru lane before approaching the drive-thru kiosk.

“Hello,” he called. “Hello?”

A car slowed down to get in the drive-through lane. It stopped at some distance which surprised him.

“Hello, hello, hello!” he started again, suspecting that perhaps his not being in a car didn’t “alert” the drive-thru attendant.

Peripherally, he noticed that the same car decided to veer off the lane and drove away.

“Hmm…did the driver think that I was nuts and decided to stay out of trouble?” he thought.

Having gotten no answer at the kiosk, he decided to follow the last car inching towards the drive-thru window.

“Hi! Do you have apple fritters?” he asked.

“No, we ran out of them,” answered the attendant.

“Oh, no!” he moaned, apple fritter being his favorite. He had to think quick for an alternative since the line of cars behind him was getting longer. “Alright. 2 Boston cream donuts, please.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you!”

He waved at the long line of cars as he passed by and hurried to take out the first donut from the bag.

“Mm…good!” he muttered. He licked the chocolate frosting smears off his fingers, forgetting the apple fritter that he was craving for.

On his way home, he tried to concentrate on relishing the moment – the softness of the donut, the creaminess of the custard filling, the sweetness of the chocolate frosting, and it being Hot Cross Buns Day. Anything to avoid dwelling on a health issue that nagged and troubled him for weeks. He worried about finding himself in worst case scenarios, continued encouragement from friends somehow falling on deaf ears.

As he was finishing the second donut, his iPhone buzzed, signaling an incoming call. Flashing on it was his Gastroenterologist’s name. He stopped to gulp down the last morsel.

“This is it! The moment of truth! What is he going to tell me? Is it something that I’ve been dreading about? Should I pick up the call?” he thought, moving the phone closer to his face with unease. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

“Um…er…hello, Doctor?” he asked.

“No,” a woman answered. “This is his nurse.”

“Oh, I remember you,” he replied, recognizing her friendly voice. “You were the one who gave me instructions for my procedures a week ago.”

“Yes, it is me. The doctor just received the results of your tests today and I can share them with you.”

“Oh, okay,” his voice trembled, his heart rate racing.

“The endoscopy and colonoscopy are normal and all the biopsies are benign.”

“Oh my God! Really? Thank you, thank you!” he yelled and jumped, unmindful of the spectacle he was creating in the usually quiet neighborhood that early morning. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am!”

“Nothing cancerous?”

“Yes!” she interjected with a mild chuckle. “Nothing cancerous!”

“Oh, wow! You are making my day!”

“I am happy for you and what a good way to start your weekend.”

“I know! I know! Thank you very much and please thank the doctor for me!”

He looked at the cloudless sky which in some way became more blue. He thanked the heavens as the slight breeze cooled his face and filled his lungs. He seemed lighter, the weight of the prolonged anxiety being lifted off his frame. He felt like a new man.

He immediately called his caring friends to share the good news.

His pace quickened as he went around the bend, about 500 yards from his house. He was so ecstatic that he even waved at the house of the man, boy, and dog that he encountered earlier.

He reached his driveway in no time, the lingering taste of the Boston cream donuts still tickling his taste buds.