Back sometime in the nineties, I do not remember exactly what year, maybe around ninety-five or ninety-six.

A neighbor on my block had gotten a puppy. I did not know this neighbor personally just enough to say hello back to her and her adult son when they spoke to me and my mom.

The puppy was so little and adorable.

One particular day the puppy was running around loose on our block, playing and following around the young children that were playing in the street.

It was a nice sunny day. I had passed by, on my way to the store when the puppy spotted me and ran up to me.

She was so energetic, lively, and friendly. I had instant affection for her.

Hours had passed.

Later, by nightfall, a family associate and I departed from hanging out on my stoop. He left to go across the street to his home and I…