Dogs and Men

Chapter 1

He wiped his muzzle with his paws. He crossed the sidewalk and reached the street. He looked around and entered a clean alley. He walked under the shade of the trees lining the alley. In front of one of the four-storey buildings, a fluffy dog was standing. Its fur was as white as snow. From a distance, it looked like a cute and pampered lamb. A fancy, expensive leather collar was around its neck. In his heart, he wished he could befriend this beautiful dog. The dog’s black, shiny eyes looked kindly through its thick fur. He gathered his courage, approached, wagged his tail, and softly said:

“How clean and white you are!”

The fluffy dog replied, “And you, with that brown coat, are beautiful too. Fellow townsman, what’s your name? My name is Fluffy.”

The stray dog said, “I don’t have a name. I didn’t know dogs could have names.”

Fluffy, surprised, said, “Really? Don’t you have an owner?”

The stray dog replied, “Owner? What does that mean?”

Fluffy said, “Well, after I was a month old, my mother’s owner gave me to Pete as a birthday gift. Pete is very kind.”

The stray dog, staring in disbelief, said, “That’s strange! I can’t believe it. How could a dog be given as a gift? That’s such an insult. After all, they say we dogs are unclean and filthy.”

Fluffy said, “No, they don’t think like that. The housemaid bathes me with water and shampoo every day. I even go to the groomer once a month to stay beautiful and tidy.”

The stray dog said, “You’re so lucky. What a comfortable and good life you have. I’m glad at least one of my kind is happy. As for me, all I remember of human behaviour is pain and torture. Children throw stones at us, and adults kick us and beat us with sticks. And when they want to insult someone, they call them a dog. In short, we have a miserable life, or as they say, a dog’s life! I really wanted to be your friend and share my sorrows with you.”

Fluffy said, “I feel the same way. I don’t have the freedom in life like you do to make friends with everyone. Sometimes Pete’s friend comes here with his dog, but we don’t have much to talk about. Occasionally, Houshang, Pete’s Iranian friend who lives on the second floor of this building, comes over, and then the three of us play together. I climb up on them, gently nibbling at their hands and faces, and Houshang keeps feeding me sugar lumps to keep me from getting too close. To put it simply, there’s no conversation. But what you say is very interesting and makes me think about life. I hope you’re not offended if I say that I feel very sorry for you. I wish I could share my happiness with you.”

Just then, the door of one of the houses across the street opened, and a servant came out with a basket in hand. He saw Fluffy talking to the stray dog and waved a hand in recognition to Fluffy. The stray dog, scared, growled and ran away.

Fluffy called after him repeatedly, “Where are you going? Come back! We were talking. Why did you get scared?”

The stray dog, panting as he ran, turned his head back and shouted, “No, not now. I’ll come back later. Didn’t you see that man? Just two days ago, one of these men beat me with a stick. Tomorrow… I’ll… come…”

When he finally reached the end of the alley and looked back, he could see neither Fluffy nor the man. He relaxed, slowed his pace, and thought to himself, “What a mistake I made. I was making a good friend. I was becoming a proper dog. Now, what will he think of me? I’ll be too embarrassed to face him again. No wonder people say to those like me, ‘you’re scared like a dog.’ I hate myself. I’m good for nothing!”

With these troubled and sorrowful thoughts, he reached the ruins he had found two weeks earlier. Exhausted and sad, he laid down to rest on the plaster and lime.

Chapter 2

It was a beautiful day. He found himself walking beside Fluffy in a green, flowery meadow. What a sight! The golden light of the sun filtered through the rain-kissed grass. White, yellow, red, and purple flowers swayed gently with the breeze. As he gazed into the distance, he saw the turquoise and crystal-clear waters of lakes and ponds shimmering on the vast plain. Butterflies and golden-winged dragonflies fluttered around the flowers, landing and taking off, carefree and joyful. He felt so happy. All his pains were gone, his sorrows forgotten. He lifted his head and looked at the clear, blue sky with a few white, fluffy clouds drifting by. Full of wonder, he said to Fluffy:

“Look up there, at the sky. See that cloud? That’s you up there. Look how beautiful you are! Can you see your ears? And that’s your tail.”

Fluffy looked up, wagged his tail happily, licked his ears, and said:

“You’re very cheeky! Are you telling me that you’ve found me, and I can’t find you? That’s right, isn’t it? Forget about my white fur. Look up there again. That’s you, with your bony, long body and drooping ears.”

They ran after each other. They reached a stream. Fluffy jumped into the water. He jumped after Fluffy, but suddenly the current became strong and carried him away. He called out to Fluffy, shouted, and then woke up from the dream.

The twilight shadows had fallen over the ruins, the houses, and the surrounding alleys. The white plaster had turned a leaden colour. He realized that the beautiful meadow and Fluffy were left behind in the world of dreams. His stomach was gnawing and twisting with the pain of hunger. He closed his eyelids again, as his eyes filled with tears of regret.

He found himself back in that same meadow again, with Fluffy by his side and among all that beauty. Both were hungry and tired. They no longer had the energy to play. They buried their snouts in the grass, and suddenly he saw that the entire meadow was filled not with flowers, but with bones—big bones, marrow-filled bones, leg bones, rib bones—everywhere. He eagerly bit into one of the bones, but it tasted of plaster and lime and made him cough. He opened his eyes. Night had fallen. Everything was dark. He felt his snout buried in plaster and lime. In vain he searched the ruins for food, then collapsed in exhaustion once more.

He dreamt of a boy, ten or twelve years old, approaching him with large bones in his hand. The boy’s eyes were as black and shiny as Fluffy’s, and his gaze was just as kind. He stood up on his hind legs with joy, wagging his tail in gratitude, eager to take the bones. But suddenly, several other boys attacked the boy with sticks and stones. The boy fell, his head split open. The bones scattered around him. But he, unable to see the boy, grew furious at the behaviour of the other children. Fuelled by his anger, he summoned all his strength and unleashed a powerful attack. The children, terrified, ran away, and he woke up, pleased with his brave deed. This time, when he opened his eyes, he saw the morning light around him. He stood up and thought to himself:

“The first thing I’m going to do is find Fluffy. I hope he’s by the door like yesterday. Then I’ll apologize for my behaviour yesterday. But no, I can’t talk to him on an empty stomach. I don’t want him to know how hungry I am. First, I’ll find some food, then I’ll go and see him.”

He set off. He saw a rubbish bin beside the door of a house. He buried his snout among orange peels, papers, and other things, until he finally found some scraps; chicken bones and a fish head. He ate them eagerly. Still hungry, he stood up, shook himself, and with the thought of meeting Fluffy, wagged his tail happily. As he shook his body, particles of plaster and dust filled the air. He coughed again, looked at himself, and realized how dirty and dusty he was.

“No, no, I can’t go to Fluffy looking like this. You can’t visit a friend when you’re dirty. I must clean myself up first.”

He came across a stream along the way. Jumping into the water and he began to splash around. Suddenly, a stone was thrown into the middle of the stream from the alley. He turned his head and saw a boy at a distance with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Quickly, he climbed out of the water. Seeing his wet, miserable and frightened state, the boy burst out laughing. He ran away as fast as he could, with the sound of the boy’s laughter still ringing in his ears.

When he reached the corner of Fluffy’s alley, his fur was half-dry, and his heart was pounding with relief and excitement. He looked towards Fluffy’s house from the alley, but there was no sign of Fluffy. He did not lose hope. He thought maybe the gate would be open, and he could see Fluffy through it. He moved closer, but the large, green iron gate was closed. He approached it, tried to open it with his snout, then with his paws, but it remained firmly shut. His heart sank. He wished he could see Fluffy right then, talk to him, tell him about his dreams, his memories, about his lost parents, but there was no sound, and no familiar face appeared at the door.

With deep sadness, he walked across the alley, sat on the ground opposite Fluffy’s house, and stared at the four-storey building. His heart ached for not having asked Fluffy the day before which floor he lived on. Then, he could have kept his eyes on that floor all the time.

An hour passed. There was no sign of Fluffy. He stood up, wagged his tail, but from a window frame, only the face of a boy with brown hair appeared. The boy looked at him kindly and moved away from the window. Then, it was all quiet again, and he sat on the ground, back in his earlier position.

After a while, he heard a whistle from the same window. He looked up and saw the kind face of the that boy again. The boy threw, one by one, several sugar lumps towards him. At first, he remained indifferent, but gradually, encouraged by the boy’s enthusiasm and friendly gestures, he stood up on his hind legs, caught the sugar lumps in the air, devoured them, wagging his tail in appreciation. Then the boy left again.

After that, a long time passed, and there was no news from the four-storey building, the window, or the boy. The stray dog, disappointed and heartbroken, got up and left to find some food.

Chapter 3

That night, he couldn’t sleep properly. The thought of Fluffy and the hope of friendship with him kept him restless. He thought that perhaps, God forbid, Fluffy had fallen ill and was unable to walk to the door to meet him. Then he imagined that maybe Fluffy and his owner had moved out of that house and the alley. And then he thought to himself, “Maybe a friendship between such a clean and well-groomed creature and a stray dog like me isn’t appropriate, and they won’t let him talk to a dog without an owner anymore!”

Each time he had these thoughts, his heart sank, and he rushed back to the alley, only to find that big iron gate still shut. In his turmoil, he somehow managed to get through the night.

In the morning, with slow steps, drooping ears, and a wagging tail, he walked towards Fluffy’s house. He sat down at the same spot as the day before and stared at the four-storey building. After some time, the window opened, and the familiar face of the brown-haired boy appeared in the frame. Seeing the boy, he wagged his tail and felt a moment of joy, but then the unfamiliar face of a dignified young man appeared at the same window. The two started talking, and the boy occasionally pointed towards the dog. Then they both moved away from the window.

The stray dog, who still hadn’t seen Fluffy, started barking and calling out to him. He had decided that no matter what, he had to see Fluffy. After a few moments, the large iron gate opened, and a lady came out. Immediately, he saw Fluffy’s white, furry legs rushing down the stairs and making his way to the gate. Fluffy had two big bones in his mouth. When he saw the stray dog, he placed the bones in front of him and said:

“Friend, I brought these for you. How are you? I missed you.”

At first, the stray dog thought he was in a dream and couldn’t believe that Fluffy was really talking to him. He stared at him in astonishment, but the warm, clear gaze of those black eyes made him realize that all his previous thoughts were just sad, bitter and pointless imaginings. So, he moved closer, joyfully licked Fluffy’s ears, wagged his tail, and said:

“Oh, Fluffy! You have no idea how much I wanted to see you yesterday. I was dying to see you. I came here several times, but I couldn’t find you. Where were you?”

Fluffy replied, “Yesterday was a holiday, and I went on a picnic early in the morning with Pete and his parents. We had a great time. It’s a shame you weren’t there. Pete and I played together. We even had a running race, and I won several times. Pete’s parents kept giving me prizes. I even got a beautiful red ribbon, which I saved to give you later, along with a lot of biscuits and chocolates.”

The stray dog said, “Well, thank God you were well. But I was going crazy worrying about you. I don’t know why, but I kept thinking that maybe you had fallen ill.”

Fluffy said, “You’re so emotional. No, my dear friend, what are these thoughts? Don’t worry about me. I have a tough skin and don’t remember ever being sick. Pete’s parents take me to the doctor every month, so that he can check me and reassure them that I’m perfectly healthy.”

The stray dog, still astonished, replied, “Every time you talk about your life, it seems so strange to me that sometimes I think I must be dreaming. Going on picnics, visiting the doctor, bathing, eating sweets and chocolates, going to the groomer—these are all things that don’t fit into a dog’s life, as I know it.”

Fluffy, somewhat offended, said, “You talk as if living like this is a bad thing. If that’s how you feel, I won’t say anything more.”

The stray dog responded, “No, no, I swear it’s not like that. I’m really happy that you’re telling me these things, and I’m learning new things. Please, keep talking. Tell me more about Pete, your life, your friends, and Pete’s friends—tell me about everything.”

Fluffy, now pleased, said, “Alright, I will. But I’ve talked a lot about my life, while you haven’t told me much at all. I’d like to hear about you and your family too. Well first, I’ll tell you about Pete. He’s ten years old, has blonde hair and blue eyes, and never leaves my side, except when he has to go to school. When he comes home, I’m always with him. I eat with him at the same table, play with him, and when he does his homework and studies, I sit quietly next to him and watch him. Sometimes I even fall asleep beside him, though not always, because I have my own special sleeping place—a nice basket with a soft mattress. Pete also has a few friends who are from his own country. By the way, he has a friend called Houshang who lives in this very building. Houshang is a good boy too. I know he loves animals, especially dogs, because he always pets me kindly whenever he comes over. Now, it’s your turn to talk. I’ve told you everything about myself.”

The stray dog replied, “All the things you’ve said seem like a dream and what I would wish for. But if you don’t mind, I want to criticize only one aspect of your life. You see, to be honest, I don’t really like the idea of Pete sleeping in the same bed and eating at the same table with you. Don’t be offended. I’m not saying you should change your way of life, but I’m saying that if I were to have a kind owner like you do, just giving me food and a place to sleep would be enough for me. I’d be grateful for the rest of my life, and if anything happened to my owner, I’d be willing to lay down my life for them…”

At that moment, the sound of the horn of a school bus echoed through the alley, and then Pete, with his blonde hair, hurried down the stairs. When he reached Fluffy and the stray dog, he put his bag on the ground, kissed Fluffy’s head, and patted the stray dog before getting on the bus and leaving. Immediately after, the brown-haired boy and the dignified young man came down the stairs. The stray dog, who had not finished his sentence, hesitated upon seeing them. Fluffy noticed his discomfort, moved closer to him, and softly said:

“Please, don’t be scared like the other day and run away. These are good people. This is Houshang, the boy I told you about, and that’s his father.”

Then, the father and son, approached the two dogs. The boy joyfully petted them both, and with a glance filled with longing, he looked at the stray dog. He took his father’s hand, and they walked away, deep in conversation. Fluffy, wagging his tail with happiness, stood up on his hind legs and said:

“You have no idea how happy I am. I know you didn’t understand what Houshang said to his father, and I’m not going to tell you. Don’t look at me like that; I’m not being mean. You’ll find out this afternoon. By the way, why haven’t you eaten your bones? Are you full? Come on, friend, eat up. You need to be strong. I’m going to get that red ribbon for you now. Oh God, I’m so happy! So happy…”

Fluffy was about to leave when the stray dog stopped him and said, “No, no, don’t go. I don’t want the red ribbon. Thank you very much, but just think about it—what am I going to look like with this long, brown body and a red ribbon around my neck? I’d look ridiculous! But it would look great on your white fur. Anyway, tell me what’s going on that’s making you so happy. Let me know what they said to each other. What do you mean by ‘this afternoon’? Talk to me please. Don’t just stand there and stare at me with those mischievous eyes! Tell me. I met Houshang yesterday; he even gave me some sugar lumps.”

Fluffy replied, “Don’t insist on knowing why I’m so happy; I won’t tell you now. You’ll find out this afternoon. Forget about it for now. But I’m really sad that you didn’t accept the ribbon, because you have no idea how much I struggled when Pete tied it around my neck, and I tried with all my might to pull it off until poor Pete realized I didn’t want it and took it off. Anyway, let’s move on. But you really should eat the bones, and you should tell me more about your family.”

The stray dog said, “You’re so cunning, changing the subject so I won’t ask any more questions. Alright, I won’t ask. As for my parents, I remember clearly having the most loving mother and father. I was very young when one day I saw my mother coming up the hill, howling and crying. She told my older brother, ‘Your father was poisoned by people, and I just came from his lifeless body.’ I also remember that not long after, the children in the neighbourhood surrounded my mother one day, throwing stones and hitting her with sticks until her body was covered in wounds. She became ill from those wounds, and one morning when I woke up, she lay there, cold and lifeless. My siblings, who were the same age as me, died one by one from starvation, and my older brother was taken away by a shepherd who put a collar around his neck and took him to the mountains. And I was left alone, wandering and lost.”

At this point, he choked up and began to cough. Fluffy came closer, and said sorrowfully, “Friend, I apologise for making you upset. Please, don’t be sad anymore. Forget about it. Let go of the past. You’re no longer alone. You’ll never be without an owner again. Not all people are cruel. I didn’t want to tell you this, but from this afternoon on, you’ll be living on the second floor of this very building. Houshang asked his father if he could keep you, and his father agreed. So don’t worry anymore. Now, eat those bones, take a walk, and clean yourself up nicely. I’ll be waiting for you here this afternoon.”

It is that afternoon; we take a stroll through the alley. We approach the large green iron gate. The gate opens, and Houshang and Pete come out, each holding a leash. Fluffy, the white, fluffy dog, has a red ribbon around his neck, and the stray dog, who now has the name “Gorgi” (Wolfy), walks beside his young owner, wearing a brown leather collar. Now, everyone is happy, and we share in their happiness.

The End