The girl walked down the footpath with a happy skip in her step. The late autumn wind whipped through her hair, but she didn't mind. Instead, she focused on the delicious lunch that awaited her.
When the park came into view, her pace quickened. She clutched the brown paper bag in her hand firmer as her smile grew. She loved this park. The wide open space and trees that had become bare – their leaves strewn across the ground in a mess of oranges and browns and reds.
The girl had come here ever since she was little, and now at the age of twenty-two, she still loved it.
She found her way to her favorite park bench, the brown wood worn and splintering. The girl sat on the right side of the bench as she always did and took in a deep breath. The calming and familiar smell of nature slowed her heart. This was where she felt at home.
Remembering the promise of lunch that had brought her here, the girl opened the slightly scrunched up brown paper bag that was still clutched in her hands. She took out the sandwich and smiled to herself. Lettuce, chicken, a little tomato and a whole lot of goodness.
She lifted the sandwich to her mouth and prepared to take a bite. But before she could, she felt a presence to her left. The girl moved her lunch away from her open mouth and look down. The sight made her gasp.
To her left sat a small dog with matted fur and large brown eyes. It looked very skinny but still, the dog's tail wagged at the stranger.
The girl frowned as she inspected the dog further. It's cream colored fur was awfully muddy and very messy. Its rib-cage was visible through the little fat on the animal's stomach. Despite all this, the dog sat with a slightly open mouth, panting with his tongue hanging out and looking as though he were smiling.
This must be a stray.
"Hello there," The girl greeted the small dog who seemed to be very friendly.
At the greeting, the dog's tail wagged faster, and it almost looked as though his 'smile' grew.
The girl laughed, "What are you doing out here by yourself?"
She noted that the dog did not wear a collar and therefore she had no way of contacting the poor animal's owner.
Eyeing the dog's skinny figure, she said, "You look hungry. Would you like some of my lunch?"
As if knowing what she was saying, the dog barked once, happy and not threatening.
The girl laughed again, "I thought you might,"
She broke off the corner of her sandwich and held it out for the small dog who greedily and gently took it from her hand and swallowed it almost whole. Its tail continued to move back and forth as the dog returned to staring up at the kind stranger.
"Wow. You really are hungry, aren't you?" The girl broke off another larger piece of her lunch and gave it to the dog who once again lapped up the food hungrily.
Realizing that the animal clearly hadn't eaten much in a while, she continued to feed the lunch she'd been looking forward to all day to the dog. She thought that it needed the food more than she did.
Once she ran out of food, she looked down at the dog and gently reached out, giving it a small scratch behind the ears. The girl stood up and smiled at the pup.
"I'll bring you another sandwich tomorrow, okay?" The dog barked once and stood up, still with a wagging tail.
The girl left the park the way she'd come, still with an empty stomach. But she still had the skip in her step although she never got to eat her lunch. The sandwich went to someone much more deserving.
--- --- ---
November 11th 1:42pm
The boy walked down the footpath, his feet heavy on the concrete ground beneath him. He had a scowl on his face as the late autumn wind bit at his skin. He wrinkled his nose as a piece of his hair fell in front of his eyes before the wind blew it away for him.
When the boy's favorite park came into view, his scowl softened. He clutched his plastic-wrapped sandwich in his hand and his heavy steps quickened. His stomach growled in protest, but he ignored it. He'd been coming to this park ever since he was little. He loved the serene environment it provided.
Even at the age of twenty-four, the boy still found himself coming back day after day.
He made his way to his favorite park bench which had been battered over time. The boy sat on the left side of the bench as he did every day and let out a relaxed breath. He felt at home.
His focus switched to the plastic-wrapped sandwich in his hands and his eyes narrowed as he worked at undoing it. When he finally did, a small smile graced his lips. Ham, cheese and a little tomato. His favorite.
He lifted his lunch to his lips and prepared to take a bite. Before he could, a presence to his right stopped him. He moved his lunch away from his open mouth reluctantly and looked down, his eyes widening.
To his right sat a small dog with matted fur and large brown eyes. It looked very skinny but still, the dog's tail wagged at the stranger.
The boy frowned as he further inspected the dog. It's cream colored fur was awfully muddy and very messy. Its rib-cage was visible through the little fat on the animal's stomach. Despite all this, the dog sat with a slightly open mouth, panting with a tongue hanging out and looking as though it were smiling.
This must be a stray.
"What do you want?" The boy spoke gruffly, narrowing his eyes at the small dog.
The animal tilted its head to the side and stared at the stranger curiously.
"Go away," The boy spoke again, though his voice was slightly softer this time.
He saw that the dog did not have a collar and therefore he could not call someone to take away this pest.
He eyes the dog's small figure before sighing, "You want some?"
As if knowing what he was saying, the dog barked once, happy and not threatening.
The boy's lip quirked up into the smallest of smiles, "Fine,"
He broke off the corner of his sandwich for the dog and watched as the animal greedily took the food. The dog barely even swallowed. The dog's tail wagged happily as it stared up at the kind stranger.
"You're a hungry one, aren't you?" The boy broke off another larger piece of his lunch and held it out to the dog who once again lapped up the food hungrily.
He realized that the animal clearly hadn't eaten much in a while and continued to feed the dog the lunch he'd been looking forward to all day. He thought that it needed the food more than he did.
Once the boy ran out of food, he looked down at the dog and carefully reached out, giving it a small scratch behind the ears. The boy stood up and gave the small pup a barely-there smile
"I'll bring you another sandwich tomorrow, okay?" The dog barked once and stood up, still with a wagging tail.
The boy left the park the way he'd come, still with an empty stomach. But he no longer had the same heavy weight to his step, although he never got to eat his lunch. The sandwich went to someone much more deserving.
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