Nobody Wanted to Touch Me
My name doesn’t matter.
Because nobody ever called me anything anyway.
People only pointed at me from far away.
“That puppy looks disgusting.”
“Don’t get too close.”
“He probably has diseases.”
I know why they said those things.
My black fur had almost completely fallen out from mange.
My skin hurt every single day.
It burned when the sun touched it.
It stung when the rain fell on my body.
Sometimes I scratched until I bled because the itching never stopped.
And whenever people saw me walking alone on the street, they looked away in disgust.
No one ever stopped.
No one ever touched me gently.
No one ever wanted me.
Today Is My Birthday
At least…
I think it is.
I don’t really know how birthdays work.
I only heard humans talking about them before.
Cakes.
Candles.
Presents.
Warm homes.
Family.
I’ve never had any of those things.
But today, while hiding beside a cold wall near the market, I quietly made one wish.
Not for food.
Not for treats.
Not even for the pain to disappear.
I only wished for one thing:
A home.
Just one person who would look at me without fear.
One person who would say:
“You’re safe now.”
Is that too much for a puppy like me to dream about?
Everyone Passed Me By
People walked past me all day long.
Some covered their noses.
Others pulled their children away from me.
A few people stared at my damaged skin with pity before continuing on with their lives.
I tried wagging my tail sometimes.
Even though it hurt.
Because maybe…
Just maybe…
Someone would notice I was trying to be friendly.
But nobody stopped.
As the sky grew darker, the cold wind made my tiny body shake harder.
I curled into the corner alone and closed my eyes, trying not to cry.
Maybe some puppies simply aren’t meant to be loved.
Then Someone Knelt Beside Me
Just when I thought the whole world had forgotten me…
A woman suddenly stopped walking.
She looked directly at me.
Not at my missing fur.
Not at my wounds.
Not at how ugly I had become.
She looked at me.
Her eyes slowly filled with tears.
Then, for the first time in my life…
Someone touched me gently.
I was scared at first.
Nobody had ever touched me kindly before.
But her hands felt warm.
Safe.
She carefully wrapped me inside her jacket and whispered softly:
“You don’t deserve to suffer out here anymore.”
At that moment, I didn’t fully understand her words.
But I understood love.
Maybe My Wish Came True After All
That night, I slept somewhere warm for the first time.
I had soft blankets.
Food in my belly.
Medicine for my hurting skin.
And while I slowly fell asleep, the woman gently stroked my head as if I mattered.
As if I was worth saving.
Maybe I’m still not beautiful.
Maybe my fur still hasn’t grown back yet.
But for the first time ever…
I’m no longer alone.
And maybe…
Just maybe…
This birthday became the day my real life finally began.
