The Dog

In the darkness I could barely see the dog, and when I did see him I stopped. Was he aggressive or gentle? If I made a sudden movement, would he bite me? I didn't know, so I stood still. He walked toward me and looked at me. I walked on. As I walked I looked back, and he was following me. I talked to him, "Are you my new friend?" He came a little closer, and then I noticed what I hadn't seen before. He was skinny--so skinny his ribs showed. "Come with me," I told him. He followed me to my apartment, struggling up the stairs behind me. I gave him some water first. Then I went back in my apartment and pulled out some sweet potatoes I had cooked the night before. (Yes, I had no dog food and no meat to feed him.) By the time I'd gotten the sweet potatoes, he had disappeared. I found him at the bottom of my stairs. I gave him the sweet potatoes and sat down next to him on the curb. He ate two of the sweet potatoes. He wasn't impressed by them, but I guess hunger will drive a dog to anything--even eating sweet potatoes. After he ate the sweet potatoes, he looked at me and tried to put his head in my hands. He was hungry for love too.