Love Struck in October

I was tracing my footsteps along the beach with my friend, a beautiful, loyal Dalmatian by my side. It was a cloudy morning with the sun not so bright, and the waves were slithering in not so gently. The sea was striking to look at with its different shades of blue and some shades of misty grey. The sand felt soft under my feet almost as if it were caressing my tired soles, and there were the tiny paw prints of my dog etched in the sand like the intense love for him that’s written firm in my heart. As we trudged along the soft silky sand, I felt at peace with just having him by my side, and the look of happiness that emanated on his face while we walked is something I will not forget in a hurry.

There was a sense of bonding that took place, that day, at the beach. I remember I sat next to him watching little children frolic in the water with their parents keeping a watchful eye. Pineapple vendors shuffled past us leaving the vapour of hot red chili powder scattered in the air, and there was a man with a decorated monkey walking by. It was like only we existed at that moment, it was us who inhaled the fresh sea air, it was him and I who watched the waves retire slowly back to the ocean. The world was ours that morning and nothing could take that away.

We sat on the sand, his tongue out, panting, and a big smile written all across his face. He rested, glancing occasionally at the people who went by, not letting them disturb our silence, the silence we created for ourselves. I watched, as he held his nose up towards the mild grey sky, breathing in the salty air that lurked around and gusts of wind ruffled his fur in swirling patterns. The happiness I shared with him only continued to grow as we watched the ceaseless sea stretch far and far away until we could see no more.

We were love struck, and that was “Buddy’s” first time at the beach.