Rain water
trickles down the stone buildings and pools at his feet, the night air
crisp and fresh now that the storm is over. The shaggy dog takes a quick
drink from the puddle and plods on, his tail wagging behind him.
He is hungry, but he is usually hungry and tonight is no exception. At least there is plenty of water to drink as he plods on, and the city smells pleasant tonight as he scrounges for supper.
Emerging from the alleys the shaggy dog spies a young boy across the street, slumped on the ground with a hat held upside down in an outstretched, quivering hand. The shaggy dog tilts his head and whines, and the boy mutters something as everyone walks by.
The shaggy dog runs across the street and sits beside the boy. I notice you, the shaggy dog says, and receives a scratch behind the ear for his efforts. He wags his tail and plods on.
Leaning against a wall of brick spray painted with vibrant colors and symbols is a man with kind eyes talking on a cell phone. The shaggy dog sniffs the man's hand and smells a family, waiting for their father to arrive home from work.
"You're a tough little thing aren't you," the man says, his call on hold for now. "You look hungry. I'm sorry, I wish I had my arm to spare."
I understand, the shaggy dog says. He wags his tail and plods on.
The aroma of fresh baking catches his nose and the shaggy dog follows its scent to a pleasant little restaurant. Through the window he spies a large woman dressed in a fancy gown. She's at a table for one and the waiter brings her a glass of red wine. She smiles and thanks him, her happiness the best smelling thing in the restaurant. It makes him smile. He wags his tail and plods on.
The shaggy dog stops at a nearby puddle, taking a drink before he continues. He sees a woman holding hands with her daughter, the little girl pulling and tugging as she tries to leap from puddle to puddle, her laughter musical in its innocence. "Mommy!" she shouts and points to the shaggy dog, "A puppy!"
The shaggy dog smiles happily, he likes kids, they pat him on the head and tug on his fur. "He's hungry," the little girl says, "Can he come home with us mommy please?"
The woman looks at the shaggy dog and says, "Well little guy? Would you like that?"
The shaggy dog looks at the woman and her little girl. No thank you, he says. My home is out here. The little girl looks sad but the woman seems to understand. He thanks them both. He wags his tail and plods on.
He returns to his home, a den of newspaper and cardboard in a dingy little alleyway. Its late now as he circles a few times and then lays down, still hungry. The shaggy dog thinks for a while as his eyes get heavy. He didn't find any food tonight, but he met a lot of nice people. Maybe he will find food tomorrow he thinks as his eyes close and he drifts off to sleep. Until tomorrow, when he will wag his tail and plod on.
He is hungry, but he is usually hungry and tonight is no exception. At least there is plenty of water to drink as he plods on, and the city smells pleasant tonight as he scrounges for supper.
Emerging from the alleys the shaggy dog spies a young boy across the street, slumped on the ground with a hat held upside down in an outstretched, quivering hand. The shaggy dog tilts his head and whines, and the boy mutters something as everyone walks by.
The shaggy dog runs across the street and sits beside the boy. I notice you, the shaggy dog says, and receives a scratch behind the ear for his efforts. He wags his tail and plods on.
Leaning against a wall of brick spray painted with vibrant colors and symbols is a man with kind eyes talking on a cell phone. The shaggy dog sniffs the man's hand and smells a family, waiting for their father to arrive home from work.
"You're a tough little thing aren't you," the man says, his call on hold for now. "You look hungry. I'm sorry, I wish I had my arm to spare."
I understand, the shaggy dog says. He wags his tail and plods on.
The aroma of fresh baking catches his nose and the shaggy dog follows its scent to a pleasant little restaurant. Through the window he spies a large woman dressed in a fancy gown. She's at a table for one and the waiter brings her a glass of red wine. She smiles and thanks him, her happiness the best smelling thing in the restaurant. It makes him smile. He wags his tail and plods on.
The shaggy dog stops at a nearby puddle, taking a drink before he continues. He sees a woman holding hands with her daughter, the little girl pulling and tugging as she tries to leap from puddle to puddle, her laughter musical in its innocence. "Mommy!" she shouts and points to the shaggy dog, "A puppy!"
The shaggy dog smiles happily, he likes kids, they pat him on the head and tug on his fur. "He's hungry," the little girl says, "Can he come home with us mommy please?"
The woman looks at the shaggy dog and says, "Well little guy? Would you like that?"
The shaggy dog looks at the woman and her little girl. No thank you, he says. My home is out here. The little girl looks sad but the woman seems to understand. He thanks them both. He wags his tail and plods on.
He returns to his home, a den of newspaper and cardboard in a dingy little alleyway. Its late now as he circles a few times and then lays down, still hungry. The shaggy dog thinks for a while as his eyes get heavy. He didn't find any food tonight, but he met a lot of nice people. Maybe he will find food tomorrow he thinks as his eyes close and he drifts off to sleep. Until tomorrow, when he will wag his tail and plod on.
