He was a mutt.  A sort of beige and off white color.  Not fully grown, still a pup.  He had these dark brown almost black eyes.  One of the most intense gazes I’d ever seen.  Better that most of the humans I know.  Something about his eyes told you he understood what you were saying.  Every time I spoke to him his eyes locked on to me.  His head cocked to the left when I asked a question.  

Alright.  I gave him a last pat on the head.  Between two floppy triangle ears.  I thanked him one last time before turning around to exit the alley.

“Mmm”  He whined again.  I looked back and was met with the true definition of puppy dog face.  He walked the two steps over to me and nuzzled my good palm with his big wet nose.  I giggled, a dog made me giggle.

“Fine you can come with me!”  I told him.  Instantly his ears perked up and that furry tail of his started to sway.  He was happy again now that he got what he wanted.  

I led the way out of the alley.  It was light out, but still early.  I found my way back to the sleazy Chinese restaurant from last night.  It looked like an entirely new place.  A few cars were parked in the small lot.  No police cruisers in sight, thank god.  

I walked to the next store over.  A small connivence store.  The kind with dirty windows, ancient posters, and big Tobacco and Liquor signs.

I told the dog to sit outside of the store and entered.  That little jingle that plays when someone walks in alerted anyone of my presence.  A old asian man gave me a suspicious glance before turning back to his news paper.  The store was empty, and on the smaller side.  The only other sound was coming from a small stereo by the cash register.  I picked up a bottle of Hydrogen peroxide and a box of gauze.  I winced just thinking about the burn to come.  

On the way to pay for all this I took a bottle of water for myself and a Slim Jim for the dog.  Another person had entered the store by the time I was ready to pay.  I waited in line, lost in random thought.