All That Is Left Behind

I took my dog in my arms, and I made my way to the boy. I was no older than four of five, and there was absolute distress written all over his face.

I made sure to have a good grip on my dog as he could get exited easily, and I knew a lot of people, including children, are easily intimidated by dogs, especially the overly expressive ones.

“Hey there,” I said.

The boy didn’t even look at me.

“Are you lost?” I asked him.

He didn’t turn around, but I knew he heard and understood me as he pointedly put his back to mine. There were silent tears in his eyes, but contrary to most children I’ve encountered, he wasn’t expressing his sadness very openly, which I found quite strange.

“You see,” I began. “My dog is named Miki, and he kept asking me to come around here. I really don’t know why. Do you? Maybe there’s a tennis ball hidden here somewhere. Would you help me look?”

He finally turned around, but his eyes were automatically drawn to Miki.

Miki gave him a doggy grin and waved his tail so hard, his little booty went side to side in my arms.

The boy had brown hair and gorgeous large brown eyes. He was wearing good clean clothes too that fit him perfectly. And he looked at the dog, hypnotized.

“Do you want to pet him?” I asked.

He said nothing, but I knew he heard me. He didn’t look at me, still glued to Miki.

“Here, let me show you how.” Then I spent the next minute showing the boy how to pet a dog.

“Do you want to try?” I asked him.

brief, and he returned his gaze automatically to Miki. It gave me the strange vibe you get with autistic children. He had problems

finally both sat on the grass, I sat Miki in between us, keeping my hand on him to make sure he would not get too close to the kid and spook him, whom eventually caved and gave the first pet. It was short and just one finger on the forehead for maybe two seconds, then he

few times, and

was alone, but I wasn’t even sure he talked, and given how he ignored me when I started with this line of questioning, I decided

was pretty rudimentary, but at least

not crying either, and as minutes went by and he interacted more and more

is your name?”

he looked briefly at me.

with Miki not far from here. Miki loves parks very much,

that if I shared information first it could make me sound

into my bag, and next to my drawing pad, I found

realised right away what was going on, and suddenly ignore the kid

I took a treat out slowly, making him sit.

Miki could hardly contain his excitement and sat, shaking his weight from

it twice until,

The child looked at this scene in pure

you want to try it?” I

He nodded.

to make the kid say something. Silently, but still, it’s

to tell him to sit though,” I said as Miki was now back on his paws going in circles and then sitting, but going

he was more interested in the dog than me that

him to get the gist of what had to be done, but he worked it out faster than I expected. So the kid was

ended up feeding five treats in a row to

so much feeding, but it was working really well, and I had heard the boy say at least four words now, and they were

were all gone, he looked at

Miki loves?” I