I dare you: Name the Puppy

By D. Salazar

I have been a curious child.

One afternoon when I was seven I found a stray puppy, all brown and wide eyed. Mom said I couldn’t keep him, so I hid it in the park ad visited him often. One time, there was a bag soaring nearby. I took it when it entangled with a shrubbery. I tied the bag around the puppy’s head and watched him struggle to death.

I felt really bad afterwards. So I asked him to forgive me.

He said he’d forgive me if I promised never to do it again.

He’s been my friend ever since. I've been being really careful not to hurt him.


Several years later I realized that, among the millions of people that exist in the world, at least one of them had to know the answer for my question: why had I done it? The dog came with me on my quest. His name is _______

When I found the man, I asked him: Why did I do it?

He said: You are the only one who cares. Why should I answer to you?

I replied: Because I took the trouble of finding you

He asked: Do you think you deserve an answer because you took the trouble of finding one?

I replied: Yes

So he sentenced: If you had wanted an answer so much, you would've found it on your own means.

I answered back: I can’t. That’s why I came searching for you.

He asked: Why are you so sure you can’t?

I said: Because I tried

So he finished: Then you don’t care enough.