‘nice meeting you’
“Come on boy,” whisper shouted the same voice again as I grew more curious, making my way to the door where the odd scratching sound carried on.
“Come onnn,” the voice drew out, now I realised the scratching must be a dog when it barked and whined and the voice must be its owner is trying to get it back inside. I chuckled at the obvious struggle in the boy’s voice.
“You need help?” I called from my side of the door.
“Please,” the voice said after a pause with a small and nervous laugh.
I pushed open the door and the scratching stopped immediately. I was first faced with a Labrador who must have not been older than a year. I laughed as it crouched down and barked once happily to me, it almost looked like he was smiling. I then faced the boy I saw earlier in the well fitted jeans.
He was smiling and looking in my direction but was not quite meeting my eyes.
“I’m sorry about him he is still quite young,” he had a weird accent that made me smile.
“Nah don’t worry about him, he is adorable. Can I pet him?”
“Yeah go ahead he seems so eager to meet you anyway apparently,” I laughed and bent down to the dog’s level to scratch him behind the ears.
“Bruno huh?” I asked the boy who gave a small ‘yes’ in response, Bruno happily sitting while I pet him. “I’m Jacob by the way,” I said standing back up, Bruno going to the boy’s side again.
“I’m Troye,” the boy said reaching out a hand in my direction, yet again not meeting my own gaze as I shook his hand.
“Nice meeting you Troye, and you too Bruno!” I said excitedly to the dog who wagged his tail happily while Troye placed his hand on his head, it looked like he was losing his balance or something until he found Bruno for balance.
“Yeah you too Jacob,” Troye said with a laugh. “Sleep well,” he said sweetly as he turned, Bruno remaining close to his side.
“You too,” I said with a smile as I turned to go back inside but stopping as I watched the pair. Troye looked like he was being led by Bruno instead of the other way round…maybe it’s just me though.
…….
I woke up to the sun making its way through the large window of the apartment.
My plans for today were to get out and explore a bit while maybe also going to do a bit of shopping.
I showered and got dressed in a plain black t-shirt and jeans with sneakers and gathering my phone and wallet, planning to go out to eat breakfast at a café or something.
As I was about to walk out I heard the same scratching as the night before, I found myself smiling widely.
“Oh come on Bruno, what has gotten into you?” I heard Troye huff out, I giggled while I rushed over to the door.
“Morning Bruno!” I called happily while the dog crouched down and wagged its tail like the night before. “Morning Troye,” I said with a smile.
“Morning Jacob,” Troye laughed out. “Sorry again.”
“Don’t be sorry I love this guy,” I said as I pet him happily.
“He loves you too obviously,” Troye said laughing while I chuckled as well.
“So I’m going out, wanna recommend any good cafes? I just moved here,” I asked and then standing up while Bruno made his way to Troye’s side again.
“Oh yeah actually, there is one down the street next to a Starbucks, it’s really nice,” he said, somewhat shyly as well.
“Oh I will try it, wanna join?” Troye looked like he was caught off guard or something, like he had never been asked such a question before and…is he blushing?
“Oh uh yeah, sure thanks,” he said bashfully while I smiled at how cute he was acting. “I just need to get Bruno’s harness I will be right back out.”
“Oh okay I will wait by your door,” I said while following the two back to Troye’s apartment door.
“Oh you can come inside Jacob,” he said as I obliged, following right in behind.
His place was very simple and didn’t have much more than mine and had a similar layout too. I then watched Troye, Bruno right beside him, as he made his way to the harness that sat on the coffee table.
I could not help but notice how Troye watched his step so carefully and how slowly he made his way round the sofa. All the furniture spread so widely apart. He ran his hand over every surface till he got to the coffee table then taking the harness after tapping around the table a few times before he got hold of it.
He slipped the odd looking harness onto Bruno who obediently sat in front of him while Troye kneeled down and was about to clip it into place, he really looked like he was struggling.
“Troye, you okay?” I asked with scrunched eyebrows while he started to look very frustrated with himself as he huffed out in annoyance.
“Jacob, can you please clip this on,” I raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah sure,” I said as I made my way over to them taking the clip from Troye’s hand, he seemed to almost get a fright when my hand brushed his.
I clipped it on with no hassle. “There you go,” I said while Troye was trying to pat around till he found my hand with the leash part of the harness to take from me, then cupping my hand with both of his while I passed the leash over to him.
“I’m sorry,” he said with a nervous laugh. “You going to have to have a very high patience level if you spending time with me Jacob.”
“What do you mean,” I was starting to get ideas about what he might have meant but decided for him to tell me on his own accord even though the realisation hit me like a truck when I read what it said on the harness.
Guide Dogs Of America.
“Well you know- oh god I haven’t even told you,” he laughed to himself. “I’m sorry you must be so confused or like weirded out that I act so strange, sorry, but I think you could have figured it out by now,” he shook his head and laughed again to himself. “I’m blind,” my face immediately fell with sympathy as the puzzle pieces joined completely for me. And he said it so nonchalantly which made me feel even sadder for him. “Wow, it’s so normal for me now I actually forgot to mention.”
“Oh Troye, you don’t have to apologize for that. It’s fine,” I said gently, making sure I would not say anything that could possibly offend him.
“So you still want me to join you?” he asked it in such fragile way my heart nearly broke right there and then.
“Oh my God, of course Troye this doesn’t change a single thing I swear,” he then smiled, a smile I had not yet seen on him and it was so pure and genuine, my heart melted and I ended up smiling too. He is so beautiful.
“Oh wow uh thank you, Jacob,” he spoke so sincerely. Did he really think I would push him away after he told me that? Did he really think I would think anything differently of him?
“Of course Troye, so Bruno is your guide dog then?” I asked for confirmation.
“Yeah he is, he is great at it too,” he said with another smile, still beaming from what I had said previously.
“He is such a great companion,” I said sincerely. “So, we going out?” he nodded with that same smile while we both went back to the door to leave.
I would be lying if I said I was not fascinated by the way he made his way around the house. Then also Bruno leading him so well all the way there to the café.
Troye stopping exactly when Bruno expertly did so, slowing down and when having to walk a bit faster. I didn’t have to say a word, in fact the whole way to the café we were in comfortable silence.
I just watched him in awe. He was smiling the whole way there too, he seemed so content and so happy.
I take too much for granted.
