Short Story 14 – A Life Changed
01- Steve was a lonely man who lived in a small apartment in the city. He had no friends, no family, and no hobbies. He worked as an accountant at a boring company, where he spent his days crunching numbers and filing reports. He hated his job, but he had no other options.
02- One day, as he was walking home from work, he saw a sign outside a pet shop that said “Adopt a dog today”. He felt a sudden urge to go inside and see the dogs. He had always liked dogs, but he never had one of his own. He thought maybe having a dog would make his life more interesting and fun.
03- He entered the pet shop and was greeted by a friendly clerk who showed him the different dogs available for adoption. There were big dogs and small dogs, fluffy dogs and smooth dogs, young dogs and old dogs. Steve looked at them all, but none of them caught his eye. He was about to leave when he heard a soft whimper from the corner of the shop. He turned and saw a female brown dog in a cage. She looked sad and scared, and her fur was matted and dirty.
04- “What’s her name?” Steve asked the clerk.
“Her name is Bobby,” the clerk said. “She was found on the streets, abandoned by her previous owner. She’s been here for a long time, but no one wants to adopt her. She’s very shy and timid, and she doesn’t get along well with other dogs.”
05- Steve felt a pang of pity for Bobby. He walked over to her cage and knelt down. He reached out his hand and gently stroked her head. Bobby flinched at first, but then relaxed and licked his hand. Steve smiled and felt a warm feeling in his chest.
“I’ll take her,” he said to the clerk.
06- The clerk was surprised, but happy. He processed the adoption papers and gave Steve a leash, a collar, and some dog food. Steve paid the fee and thanked the clerk. He put the collar on Bobby and attached the leash. He lifted her out of the cage and held her in his arms. Bobby snuggled against him and wagged her tail.
“Come on, Bobby,” Steve said. “Let’s go home.”
07- Steve took Bobby to his apartment and gave her a bath. He dried her fur with a towel and brushed it until it was shiny and smooth. He fed her some dog food and gave her some water. He made a bed for her on the floor with some blankets and pillows. He sat down on the couch and turned on the TV.
08- Bobby came over to him and jumped on the couch. She curled up next to him and rested her head on his lap. Steve petted her softly and felt a surge of happiness. He realized that he had just made a new friend.
09- From that day on, Steve’s life changed for the better. He started taking Bobby for walks every morning and evening. He met other dog owners in the park and made some friends. He joined a dog club where he learned more about dogs and how to train them. He taught Bobby some tricks like sit, stay, roll over, and fetch.
10- He also started enjoying his job more. He found out that some of his co-workers also had dogs, and they bonded over their shared interest. He became more confident and assertive at work, and he got promoted to a senior position with more responsibilities and pay.
11- He also started dating again. He met a woman named Lisa at the dog club, who had a male black dog named Max. They hit it off right away, and their dogs became friends too. They went on dates to movies, restaurants, museums, and concerts. They fell in love and moved in together.
12- Steve was happy with his life. He had a loving girlfriend, a loyal dog, a rewarding job, and many friends. He thanked fate for bringing Bobby into his life, because she was the one who changed everything for him.
He often wondered what would have happened if he had not gone into that pet shop that day.
He was glad he did.
Written by SteveUK & Microsoft Bing AI
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