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.

gave me the strange vibe you get with autistic children. He had problems

and spook him, whom eventually caved and gave the first pet. It was short and just one finger on the forehead for maybe two

and he did more and more every time.

him more about his parents or why he 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

rudimentary,

was not crying either, and as minutes went by and he interacted more and more with the dog, his expression slowly melted

name?” I asked

he looked briefly at

“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m Mila. I live with Miki not

sound more trustworthy, but

my bag, and next to my drawing pad, I found a little bag.

going on, and suddenly ignore the kid

took a treat out slowly, making him

his excitement and sat, shaking his weight from his left paw to

him lie down. I had to say it twice until, his desire for the biscuit overcame his excitement

at this scene in pure

try

He nodded.

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

to sit though,” I said as Miki was now back on his paws going in circles and then sitting, but going back up and putting his paws on my legs to tell me he was still down for more treats.

took a lot of coaxing out of me to finally make the kid talk. I guessed that if he was more interested in the dog than me that he might be more willing to talk to him

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

He ended up feeding five treats in

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

all gone, he looked at me

you know what Miki loves?” I asked him.