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.

he returned his gaze automatically to Miki. It gave me the strange vibe you get with autistic children. He had problems looking in my eyes, but clearly none in looking in a dog’s eyes, so I used this to try to open

close to the kid and spook him, whom eventually caved and gave the first pet. It was short and just one

times, and he did more

even sure he talked, and given how he ignored me when

was pretty rudimentary, but at

either, and as minutes went by and he interacted more and more with the dog, his expression slowly melted into one of

is your name?” I asked him.

he looked briefly

to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m Mila. I live with Miki not far from here. Miki loves parks

shared information first it could make me sound more trustworthy, but I wasn’t sure if this technique worked with

my bag, and next to my drawing pad, I

on, and suddenly ignore the kid and turned to

a treat out slowly, making him sit.

shaking his weight from his left paw to

treat above his head and made him lie down. I had to say it twice until, his desire for the biscuit overcame his excitement and

looked at this scene

to try it?” I

nodded.

I did an internal ‘yoop’ as I managed to make the kid say something. Silently, but still, it’s

circles and then sitting, but going back up and putting his paws on my legs to

I guessed that if he was more interested in the dog than

what had to be done, but he worked it out faster

up feeding five treats

well, and I had heard the boy say at least four

treats were all gone,

what Miki loves?” I asked