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.

dared look at me. It was brief, and 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 a channel of communication.

too close to the kid and spook him, whom eventually caved and gave

a few times, and he did more and more

I wasn’t even sure he talked, and given how he ignored me when I started with this line of questioning, I decided not to push on too quickly as I feared he’d stopped

was pretty rudimentary, but at least it was one.

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

name?” I asked him.

disappeared as he looked

I’m Mila. I live with Miki not far

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

my drawing pad, I found a little bag.

realised right away what was going on, and suddenly ignore

treat out slowly, making him

his weight from

it twice until, his desire for the biscuit overcame his excitement and then I gave it

looked at this scene

to try it?” I

He nodded.

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

“You have to tell him 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

a lot of coaxing out of me to finally make the kid talk. I guessed that if he was more interested in the

had to be done, but he worked it out

ended up feeding five treats in a row to Miki.

working really well, and I had heard the boy say at least four words now, and they were not as hard to get out of him than they had

gone, he looked at

“Do you know what Miki loves?” I asked