I was biking to the drugstore yesterday when I saw a shitzu puppy straying alone on the sidewalk.

I hopped off my bike and parked it on the side of the road. I got down on my knees and called the puppy to me. At first it was hesitant and stayed put, wary but excited. But after a while, it came running to me. I gathered it up in my arms and went to the nearest house from where the puppy was roaming about. I rang the doorbell but no one seemed to be home. I walked to the house beside it, rang the bell, but again no one was answering. I would’ve brought the puppy home and from there call the homes near the vicinity one by one, but I didn’t have any bag or basket with me to put the puppy in. 

Such a cute little thing with black and white fur and big eyes. I couldn’t just leave it there. So I waited in place for around 30 minutes, uncertain of my next move. Finally after what felt like an eternity, a woman emerged from the house I was positioned in front of. I asked if the dog belonged to her and she said no, but pointed to a house nearby and told me to try that one. 

I rang the doorbell at the house. The helper came out and I asked if this was their puppy. It took her a few seconds to process and when she finally put two and two together exclaimed, “Ay nakawala pala ‘to!”, got the puppy from my arms, and went inside the house. 

A moment of ambivalence. A simple thank you would’ve been great… but this small detail soon became insignificant. Doing good feels good. Period. I found myself smiling as soon as I got on my bike up until I got home. :)