Copyright © 1999 Walt Zientek

The tall man sat back in his chair and stared at the screen. His eyes were
fixed on the image of the dog that appeared there. He didn't realize how
transfixed he was, until the screensaver snapped on and broke his reverie.

He quickly brought back the image and asked himself why he was so
captured by this dog; this particular Lab?

Sure she was pretty, but he knew he thought they all were. And she was
awfully thin from some very bad times she was going through. No Show
queen, this lady, for sure. Just another pet amongst millions. But she was
speaking to him through her picture and he was determined to hear what
she was saying, for he felt the message was important in some way. He
damned his own stupidity and lack of sensitivity.

"Come on girl, whisper to me." He asked the image quietly.

As if in answer, he was drawn to her eyes and his heart fluttered a bit.

"Wise eyes," he heard himself say. "This little girl has such wise eyes, it
is if she knows something we don't."

Some dogs have soft and gentle eyes that beg you love them. Others have
dark and frightening eyes that dare you to even look back. But this dog had
Wise Eyes that locked on yours and touched your mind as well as your heart;
that could tell you stories if you were careful in how you listened; that made
promises about certain truths you needed to believe.

The man let his mind float free as he stared into those eyes and he knew
he was hearing some of those thoughts, feeling some of those emotions.
Someone had told him that Labs could see into your soul and now he knew
how.

Thanks to the little girl with the soft, wise eyes.

**********

for Cinder