The One Where Elmo Slept With the Fishies

On my run this morning, I spotted trouble, in the form of one very small, red, furry Elmo. I slowed down to investigate, and this is what I saw:

I honestly didn't know quite what to think... I mean, was he just kicking back, watching the spectacular clouds roll by? (It rained this morning, and it was a seriously beautiful day). But if so, why so close to the dangerous water? And why does he have that horrified expression on his little face?

After talking to him for a few moments and finding him so unresponsive that one might even call him catatonic, I had to wonder if maybe this was a failed suicide attempt. Sad.

My second lap around the lake, Elmo was gone. Did he slip silently into the murky deep? Was he eaten by a duck, or one of those freakishly large, scary geese? Did a careless pet owner allow her dog to carry him off as a chew toy? Was there anything I could have said or done to save him? Frankly, I don’t know. And now I have to live with that.