Since the dog had a leash, it was clear it had an owner somewhere. However, no matter how much I looked around, no one nearby seemed to claim it. Most passersby only spared the dog a brief glance before continuing on their way.
Deciding to wait for its owner, I grabbed the leash trailing on the ground and led the dog over to a bench along the walking path.
As I sat down, the dog wagged its tail furiously, clearly enjoying the attention as I reached out to pet it.
"Poppy! Poppy! Over here, girl!"
I looked up to see a woman wearing a cap sprinting toward us, shouting what was unmistakably a pet's name.
At the sound of her voice, the dog perked up immediately, abandoning my hand to turn toward the source of the call. The woman spotted us and called out again, her voice full of relief.
"There you are! You can't just run off like that—I was so worried!"
She rushed over and scooped the dog into her arms, completely ignoring me in the process.
