a man and his dog

There's a gentleman who would come to have lattes, and he always had his dog with him. I liked the dog. He was gentle and happy, and he loved the treats and water (with ice cubes) I brought him.

The gentleman's son would once in a while to have lattes, too, and when he came, he would sometimes have the dog with him because he was watching the dog for his father.

Sometimes both the gentleman and the son would come together, with or without the dog, and had lattes, talked, and laughed.

But then for a while I'd see the son only, getting a latte with a friend.

One day the gentleman came to the shop, and for the first time, without his dog.

"Are you letting him rest at home today?" I asked.

"My dog passed away," the gentleman said, "he was old, and there were complications..."

I was sad, because I liked the dog. He liked me and he liked coming to see me and get treats and water with ice cubes. I told the gentleman I was sorry about his dog. I knew how hard it must had been for him to go through the loss of a beloved pet and companion.

The gentleman came another day and had his latte. He sat and had drank his latte slowly. I didn't know how to talk to him.

The gentleman came yet another day and had his latte. He drank his latte and asked how my day was. He seemed relaxed, so I asked if he was getting another dog.

"I don't know," he said, "It's a lot of work training and taking care a new dog."

"But it'll be a lot of fun!" I said.

"We'll see."

One day the son came by the shop, drank his latte, and was going to be on his way. As he was leaving the shop he turned around, smiled, and said, "Oh! And you're going to see my dad more often again soon. We're getting a new dog!"