Brighten Your Day

My mother died while giving birth to my little sister. I barely remember her voice. My father killed himself last year. He was an alcohollic, abusive, violent, and selfish person. My sister was already living with my aunt and I was living in my place of work. Our family had already been broken, the suicide of my father just made it official.

Today I and my three work friends got fired from our jobs. They said because of the economic crisis they couldn’t afford to pay us anymore.

It didn’t really surprise me. I was expecting this. I just took my backpack and walked for hours. The sun was going down and I started to feel tired, went to the park and sit on the bench.

All I could think about was my father. He was an ass, but he was my father. You can’t just get rid of those feelings, even if they were horrible to you. I felt alone. All alone. I started crying. I was crying all those years out.

Then a big brown dog came and sat just in front of me. I have always been scared of dogs, just couldn’t get over it. Now imagine me: Wet eyes, one of the worst days, terrified of what is in front of me. Terrified to look his eyes, but eventually I look and he has the most silly eyes. (My English just isn’t enough to describe, I’m sorry.)

So I burst into a laughter and with confidence put my hand on his head and pet him for a while. I’m crying and giggling and his owner walks towards us and she is also laughing.

After the absurdity faded away, we said goodbyes to each other and she left. My smile didn’t go away for minutes. I felt like I’m just as human as other people, I felt like it’s not all misery. I think really needed that absurd encounter. Thank you fun lady and funnier dog.