Ridgeback
The day was hot. A burning yellow sun beat down on the pavement. The sky was a pale blue, free of clouds. People walked here and there, loud chatter filled the streets. Families paced hand in hand, lovers stared dreamily into the eyes of their partners. Street merchents wore smiles, trying to attract customers. One stood there advertising his sandwiches to the public. Others sat on their doorsteps in the shade just taking in the city life of South Africa. A lonesome dog trotted down the cobblestone sidewalks.
His coat was short for the hot African summers. His mocha fur shined in the sun. His feet pattered down the sidewalk. His collar, with the name “Saelig”, clinked as he walked. His bright pink tongue hung from the side of his mouth. His thin tail wagged happily behind him. His hazel eyes lit up each time a stranger would pet him as they passed by. An occasional friend would greet the joyful dog, “Hi, Saeligh! Who's a good boy?”, though most strangers paid him no mind. Some looked at the dog funny, not being used to the sight of an animal roaming the streets freely. Small children would squeel with glee when Saelig let the kids pet him. Saelig's strolls through the city never ceased to make him happy. A dog required nothing more than food, water, and a nice walk. Speaking of water, Saelig trotted to a nearby street vendor, one he visited daily. The mans name was Charlie. He had tan, weathered skin. His hair was mostly grey with specks of black. His face had wrinkles, wrinkles from many smiles throughout his life. He greeted Saelig and patted him on the head. The old man turned away for a moment. The dog sat down. Charlie returned with a metal water dish. He set it down in front of the dog. Saelig licked the man's hand as a gesture of gratitude. The water sloshed side to side before dying down. It was crystal clear. Saelig lapped up the water. The cool liquid felt good on his tongue. Once he was finished drinking, he continued on his way. His nose was wet from the water dish. His nails “click-clacked” on the pavement ryhthmically. He turned a corner and approached the food cart of his owner. When his human was in sight he picked up his pace and his tail wagged just a bit quicker. “Saelig!” his owner called, the feminine voice echoed through the street. His ears perked up and walked to his owner. Her name was Caprice. She had pale white skin, she was young. Her light blue eyes sparkled. She crouched down and began scratching him and hit the sweet spot. His leg started to thump the ground in pleasure. He rolled on to his back, his tail still wagging vigorously. She continued to scratch until her arms tired. “You wanna eat, Saelig?” she said with a smile. Her pearl white teeth gleamed. Saelig barked in agreement. Caprice scooped some stew from the pot on her cart. She set down the bowl of steamy beef, celery, and carrots in some broth. Saelig ate it hungrily in a minute or two. Once he was finished he sauntered over to the doorstep of his home and lied down. He huffed contendidly and rested his head in between his paws. Though he had no luxuries or even a bed for that matter, he was happy, as happy as one can get. He lived simply and required nothing more. Though his thought process wasn't as complex as a human, he knew he had it good, better than most people, because he never wanted anything more than he needed. He drowsily yawned and feld his eyelids get heavier. If he could have he would've smiled, knowing he had everything he'd ever need, food, water. But even that didn't matter, he had an owner that loved him and of course Charlie and even the street kids who would play fetch with him, but really, that's all you need anyway. With that, he drifted into a peaceful sleep.
