Joshua’s heart thumped hard. He braced for a punch, maybe worse. But just as the man pulled back his arm, the same scruffy dog stopped licking and let out a sharp, loud bark. Then another. It lunged at the man, growling, teeth bared—not biting, but close enough to make him hesitate.
The man froze, scowled, and finally let go. “Crazy mutt,” he muttered, stepping back into the line. Joshua staggered, adjusting his coat, still stunned. He looked down at the dog, now calm, sitting by his feet as if it had done this a hundred times before.
Joshua got back in line, this time at the very end. He didn’t expect a second bowl—he never had before. Shelters ran out fast, and seconds were rare. But he stood there anyway, hungry enough to hope, while the dog stayed beside him like they belonged together.
When he reached the front again, he braced for disappointment. But without question or pause, the volunteer ladled a fresh bowl and handed it to him. Joshua stared a moment before taking it, the heat cutting into his cold fingers. Somehow, there was still food left.
He walked away slowly, steam curling from the bowl, the dog trotting behind with quiet confidence. Joshua sat by a wall near the alley, ate in silence, and tossed the dog a crust of bread. It caught it mid-air and wagged like it had won the lottery.
Afterwards, he tried to shoo it off. “Go,” he muttered. “You got your piece.” But the dog didn’t move. It just wagged again, tongue lolling, sitting like it belonged. Joshua studied him for a long moment. “Alright then… Lucky. That’s what I’ll call you. Because today, we both were.”
Joshua didn’t earn a single dollar that day. The cup stayed empty, and every glance that passed over him landed elsewhere. As the sky darkened, he stood and made his way to the alley behind the old bookstore—a quiet, tucked-away corner where he could try to sleep.
It wasn’t comfortable, but at least there was less noise and fewer interruptions. That was the best he could find—somewhere still enough to close his eyes. As he turned into the alley, he heard two people standing outside the bookstore, smoking and chatting casually.