Late August bar and there was a little liquor store in the lobby. He bought a pint bottle, then walked past the elevator with its out of order sign to the back stairs and began his three flight climb. At the second floor landing, he noticed a worn but still serviceable blanket. As he approached the blanket, it moved. He jumped. At first, he thought a rat had got tied up in it. But he looked again and saw a small black rounded nose followed by a white rounded snout. It was a puppy. For the first time in over ten hours, the man opened his mouth to say something other than a drink order and asked the small dog, “Watcha doing here?” Knowing he would not get an answer, he picked the dog up and climbed the last flight of stairs. He held the vulnerable pup, gently and felt its tail beating against his chest. Instinctively, he held it closer, unlocked the door to his room and then slowly brought the puppy two steps to the bed. The little animal walked tentatively around in a circle three times and then plopped down on his rear and looked up at the man. The man looked determinedly for what he might find to feed his charge. After rooting around in the single cupboard, he came up with a can of vegetable soup, a bowl and some beef jerky and with shaking hands placed it on the bed. Gently, he picked up the puppy and placed its mouth close to the bowl. The puppy began slowly to lick at the soup but soon began to quickly lap it. How soon it was gone. “Hungry, aren’t cha?” the man asked. Then he sat down on the bed with the dog and hand fed him small pieces of the beef jerky, stroking him as the dog ate. Then suddenly, tired the man lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. The dog licked the man’s arm, then nestled in the crook of it. Within minutes, the puppy was lightly snoring, deep within the man’s arm and into his body. And for the first time in a long time, the man was asleep — really asleep. Not just lying there with his eyes closed hoping to find rest. He was in a good sleep — the kind where nightmares are not possible. After a time, the man dreamt of being young. He dreamt of a time when having family and friends meant having comfort. He heard sounds of laughter and smelled food cooking. He watched the people in his dreams enjoying themselves and wanting to be part of that, filled his sleep. Someone smiled at him as if he were not an intruder. For the first time in a long, long time, he felt comfortable. A small smile came to his face as he slept. The little dog remained in the man’s embrace until the first morning light. That is, while the man continued to breathe. He stayed while the last of the man’s air escaped his lungs in a small gasp, the calm remaining on the man’s features. Then the small little creature stood, licked the man’s cheek a few times, then stretched, scratched himself and jumped from the bed. As the dog looked up through the window, a small yellow bird flew by, heading due east.
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