Steve was a 64 year old man who lived alone in his house. He had stopped work a few years ago as a Manager of a technology shop due to poor health, and since then he had not much to do. He felt bored most of the time, and he missed having someone to talk to and share his life with.
The only thing that kept him going was his 8 year old vizslador dog, Bobby. Bobby was his best friend and companion, and he loved her more than anything. She was always happy to see him, always ready to play and cuddle, and always loyal and faithful. She made him smile and laugh every day, and she gave him a reason to get up in the morning.
As he did nearly every day, Steve decided to take Bobby for a walk in the park. It was a sunny and warm day, and he thought it would be nice to enjoy some fresh air and nature. He grabbed Bobby’s leash, attached it to her collar and headed out the door.
They walked along the pavement, passing by other people and dogs. Bobby wagged her tail and sniffed everything with curiosity. Steve smiled and greeted the people they met, feeling more cheerful than usual.
They reached the park, which was full of green grass, colorful flowers, and shady trees. Steve let Bobby off the leash, and watched her run around and chase butterflies. He sat down on a bench, feeling relaxed and happy.
He noticed a woman sitting on another bench nearby. She was about his age, with short gray hair and glasses. She was reading a book, but she looked up when she saw Steve and Bobby. She smiled and waved at them.
“Hello,” she said. “What a lovely dog you have.”
“Thank you,” Steve said. “She’s my pride and joy.”
“What’s her name?”
“Bobby.”
“Bobby? That’s an unusual name for a girl.”
Steve chuckled. “I know. It’s short for Roberta. I named her after an old friend, and appreciation of my Dad who was called Robert, but everyone called him Bob. He loved dogs too.”
“That’s nice,” the woman said.
“Thank you,” Steve said. “My Dad passed away a year and a half ago. I miss him every day.”
The woman nodded sympathetically. “I know how you feel. I lost my husband three years ago. He had a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry for your loss too,” Steve said.
“Thank you,” the woman said. “It’s hard to cope sometimes.”
They looked at each other with understanding and compassion. They felt a connection, as if they had known each other for a long time.
They introduced themselves. The woman’s name was Helen. She was retired, from her job as a teacher. She lived alone in a nearby apartment. She liked reading books, and watching movies and TV shows.
They found out that they had a lot in common. They liked the same kind of music, food, and humor. They shared their stories, memories, and opinions. They laughed at each other’s jokes, and listened to each other’s problems.
They felt comfortable and happy in each other’s company.
Bobby came back to Steve, panting and wagging her tail. She licked his face, then ran over to Helen and licked hers too.
Helen smiled and petted Bobby. “She’s very friendly,” she said.
“She likes you,” Steve said.
“I like her too,” Helen said.
She looked at Steve with a twinkle in her eye.
“Do you want to join me for lunch?” she asked.
Steve felt a surge of excitement and hope.
He looked at Bobby, who seemed to nod in approval.
He looked back at Helen, who smiled warmly.
He nodded.
“Yes,” he said, “I would like that”
They got up from their benches and walked together to a nearby cafe, followed by Bobby.
They had lunch together, talking and laughing some more.
They exchanged phone numbers, and agreed to see each other again soon.
They hugged goodbye, feeling really happy they had met each other.
They went back to their apartments, feeling less lonely and bored.
They had found someone new to talk to and share their lives with.
They had found someone who understood them and cared for them.
They had found someone who made them smile and laugh again.
They had both found friendship again.
And they owed it all to Bobby.
Partially created utilising Bing AI… with adjustments needed by myself to get it how I wanted it to be.
Dezgo: Text-to-image AI Image Generator
Creative Commons:
P C III – Adam Are You Free
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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