It felt like an eastbound freight train slammed into him as he moved down unmarked westbound tracks.

The impact struck first at his ribs, propelling him sideways until something hard stopped his momentum. The wind left his lungs.

A shrill whistle sounded, signalling it was all over: “First and ten!”

Jim Purdy is a retired engineering manager who lives in Oregon and spends his day with his faithful dog who never gives him disparagement.  She wags her tail as he reads her whatever he has just written.