Pure Love Eyes
The ferry destined for Vancouver was about to leave Victoria. The breathtaking, scenic, two-hour trip on the west coast of Canada offered a good chance of spotting dolphins or orcas among any of the eight types of whales found in the Pacific.
A small, curly-haired, copper-and-white dog sitting in a little stroller was looking at her owner. He was middle-aged, probably in his forties, lean, and not too tall a man. Just an average person. But to the dog’s eyes, he was the most magnificent and splendorous thing to watch. She was staring at him, from time to time looking at her surroundings and at the people who approached her owner to compliment her.
“Those are pure love eyes,” one person said, looking at how the dog was observing the man.
The man smiled back faintly.
It was very evident that he was sad. Anyone could see that he was holding back his tears. He was carrying a lot of things for a short trip—a suitcase, a cooler, a backpack—and pushing the stroller with his dog. They went to the end of the vessel and took the quietest seat at the far back. The stroller put the dog at the same height as the seats, allowing her to be closer to her companion, who constantly talked to her and lovingly stroked her fur. The man took a container from the cooler while the dog kept staring at him incessantly. Then he offered the container to the dog so she could have a good sniff, as if he was asking for her approval. She turned away from the container, but her companion took another one and again offered it to her. This time she didn’t turn away and cautiously leaned closer while her companion hand-fed her tenderly.
Eventually, the arrival announcement sounded in the vessel, and the man started packing their belongings, getting ready to disembark.
“You are a lovely couple; she is so in love with you,” said another person walking by the man as he and the dog were heading to the exit.
It was a winter morning and there was a bit of melting snow on the ground. As they left the ferry terminal, the man carefully—and with the confidence that only experience provides—took the dog out of the stroller with both hands, as if she were the most fragile piece of crystal, and gently placed her on the ground. They were both used to those precise movements, like they were in some way performing a coordinated task.
The dog slowly walked around to find a place to pee. She spotted a tiny mound of snow, walked toward it, and climbed up to happily rub herself over it. She loved the snow. The man adored watching her and bowed down to lovingly pet her while he wiped the tears from his cheek.
The almost two-hour trip passed timelessly for the couple enjoying each other’s company. They walked…they sat down…they talked…they cried…they even laughed…and at some point, they were far away from this human land.
