Right by the underground station exit, next to the “M” sign, a woman was selling puppies. A cardboard sign listed their breed and price, stating “looking for good homes.” Before online classifieds were common, this was how people traded.
As I rushed into the tube station, I caught a glimpse of three adorable floppy-eared faces peeking out from a basket.
Four hours later, I was on my way home, coming out of the underground, and saw the same woman, but now with only one puppy left. It seemed she had managed to sell two.
I approached to have a look, although I hadn’t planned to buy a puppy.
Nearby stood a boy, around 12 years old, clutching some crumpled notes in his hand. Next to him was a man in sunglasses, wearing a suit and an expensive watch. He seemed to be in a hurry.
“I’ll offer you more than he does,” the man said to the puppy’s owner, nodding towards the boy. “Double, even. I need it for my child. I forgot the gift…”
I realized both were vying for the puppy, and if this was a bidding war, the man would undoubtedly win.
The boy rummaged through his pockets, pulling out a handful of loose change: “I broke my piggy bank. This is all I’ve got. My parents allowed me, but they can’t help with money, they simply can’t. I even borrowed some from friends. This is everything…”
The woman selling the puppy looked at the man in sunglasses and said, “I’m sorry, but I’ll give the puppy to the boy. It’s important to me that it goes to a good home. I can see the boy will truly love it. He’s ready to give everything he has today…”
She handed the puppy to the absolutely overjoyed boy. He cradled it gently, as if afraid of hurting it, while the puppy trembled, likely from fear or stress. Happiness is a kind of stress too.
“Oh, the money, the money!” The boy fidgeted, trying to hand over what he promised, hugging his new friend with one arm and reaching into his pocket with the other. “You don’t need to pay. Use the money to buy your dog everything it needs, good food, a lead…”
“What? Really? You won’t take it?” The boy was almost in tears. He tucked the puppy inside his jacket to keep it warm, and it was clear they even resembled each other a bit.
“No, I won’t take it. Look after each other,” the woman smiled and waved them goodbye.
“It’s wonderful you didn’t take the boy’s money,” I said, witnessing the scene.
“I didn’t take money from anyone,” the woman replied. “I set a price to see if someone is prepared to spend on a dog, if they have the means.”
“I’m leaving this city forever, and I don’t want the puppies of my beloved dog ending up on the streets because of irresponsible owners, who later realize they’re not ready to provide for another mouth to feed. I’ve given the puppies to those who… won’t betray them.”
