He woke up ecstatic and it surprised him. He vaguely recognized the feeling as one that sometimes came to him while he was walking the pup in the early morning as the sun was rising. He was supposed to have died seven years ago. The surgeon had screwed up big time and it was a nurse who saved his life. Since then each morning held that feeling of a second chance. The current year had taken a lot from him, though. He should have been bitter and angry. Instead, his mood was buoyant. He smiled to himself. He had survived.